Lessons from the shipwreck

Acts chapter 27. We were hearing yesterday some ministry from Brother Skates in Acts chapter 11 and other parts. I've been thinking a little of late of this chapter.

Interesting that the writer would bring before us, directed by the Spirit of God, the account of a shipwreck and all that prevailed. You know we've been thinking of our earthly journeys and sometimes as depicted in our hymn, it's a journey in the desert as we're awaiting heaven and home. On the other hand it's a journey over life's seas.

And of course the end we know for the child of God will be the glory. And so I want to think a little, not reading the whole of the chapter. There are 276 persons in this vessel.

We know the name of the centurion, whose responsibility was given into his hands as to Paul, who was one of the prisoners who was being taken as he appealed to Caesar's court. They were being taken to Rome. Verse 1 says the centurion, the captain of the band, his name was Julius.

The only other person that likely was on the vessel is likely Luke. And I just suggest that from the fact that he often mentions the pronoun we. So what an experience.

We're not going to read the whole of the chapter, we trust you're familiar. The early part of 28 where finally every one of those 276, thank you for the light, that helps up here too to read. For they all safely landed on the shore, even whether it was a piece of a board as far as the shipwreck and the ship being destroyed.

So read with me beginning at verse 13. And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete. Not long after there arose again a tempestuous wind called Europe laden.

When the ship was caught and could not bear up in the wind, we let her drive. Now let's drop for time's sake. Verse 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, brought through this journey safely, was then taken away. But after long absence Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said, Sirs, you should have hearkened unto me and not have loosed from Crete to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you but of the ship.

For there stood by me this night the angel of God, the messenger of God to him, whose I am and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul, thou must be brought before Caesar, and lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me. Albeit we must be cast upon a certain island, but when the fourteenth night was come, as we are driven up and down in Edria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they do near to some country.

Verse 29. Then fearing less we should be fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern and wished for the day. And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let down the boat into the sea under the color as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.

Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat and let her fall off. While the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat, saying, This is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried, and continued fasting, and have taken nothing. Now notice, dropping down, verse 38.

When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and cast out the wheat into the sea. I should have should have read verse 35, and when he had thus spoken, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all. He had broken it.

He began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer. He also took some meat.

Now that's all I wish to read for time's sake. As animated, I think it's interesting at times, little details in this most unusual book, in a sense, the Acts of the Apostles. I think it was suggested, at least it was animated by at least a couple of our brethren, relative to the movement of the Holy Spirit, and this is actually, in a sense, a historical account of the first approximately 30 years of this present age, from the day of Pentecost onward.

Here we are at the last days as we consider the days of testimony. Now as I related with Friday evening at the at the hall of the prayer meeting, 59 years ago I was here at a conference as a newborn Christian, saved only on Monday of the previous week. And so four of us from Iowa came up to the conference and enjoyed it, stayed downtown in a hotel, as I recall, and so on.

But as I think of the years that have come and gone, and we would trust as we think of our little journey here in life, that we might recognize that though at times there's going to be trials and testings and the storms of life and the circumstances that beset us, the Lord would have us to be of good cheer. How often reference is made to those words of the Proverbs, this is a day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Each day is a day is made.

You know we can rejoice every day before this day we're right here now gathered. Our Lord could return, we'd be all together in the glory. So here they are on the vessel.

Interesting that these centurions that are mentioned in the Gospels, and this one here and and Cornelius, they seem to have a good measure of the fear of God. While they were only human, here's a man that had special sympathy towards Paul. And even when he was determined that as far as some of the events of the sea and so on, and they set loose, yet in the end he acknowledged with that interest in the Apostle that his life would be preserved.

So here the soft wind blows and they set sail there in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, and then suddenly here's this tremendous storm, and the sea becomes terribly rough, and they began to realize we're in very dangerous circumstances. What a situation it must have been, 14 days of neither seeing the sun or the moon or the stars, and the darkness and the situation. The only boat ride as far as it was a troop ship, and of course we had much nicer I'm sure circumstances than these 276 individuals, but I know what it is to see probably two-thirds of the ship, the troops anyway, seasick.

We didn't have to wait long in Chaldine. But you wonder what they were going through, and the despair, and then God intervenes and speaks since word to Paul even though he had warned them with warnings that he could perceive there was danger in the course ahead. You know we face, as we think of the dangers of the way, the trials of life, but how wonderful to know that whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

We go back and we think of conversions day in your life and mine, being awakened to a need of Christ, coming to know the Savior, recognizing from that moment onward to whatever time God allows us to have in this life, that it might be in obedience to his word and acknowledge him as Lord of life. How good it was, as we are now acknowledged this morning, to be in fellowship the Lord's people, fellowship with the Father, with his Son, and with one another. So as they think of the storm, finally here it would almost seem that Paul took, as it were, the whole command of what was happening.

God had given him a word, and while we notice the three, four, at least three occasions that he reminds them, be of good cheer. He recognized that what God had told him, and as to his, is going to be in Rome and to appear and appeal to Caesar. You read the opening verses of Romans 1 and the prayer that he had to visit Rome and the believers there, and he wanted to be able to preach the gospel there.

He's going to Rome by different circumstances than what he had ever anticipated. I often think of the late Oliver Smith, known to those of us out our way, when he found out he had cancer, and well, after the surgery, when his wife came in after the family had visited with the doctor, he said to her, Pearl, is it what it is? Is it what I think it is? She always called her husband Pop. Yes, she says, it's just exactly, yet he was full of cancer.

He opened him up and sewed in the incision. Lived 15 days, but I repeat this at times, he said, I never turned down this road before. Now Paul had been in shipwrecks.

Second Corinthians 7, isn't it? It wasn't the first occasion. What he knew is God assured him he was going to be appealing before Caesar. So notice three expressions here, or four rather.

Verse 23 again, there stood by me this night an angel of God, whose I am, referring to God, it was a word from God that he would be understanding, whose I am, whom I serve, saying, fear not Paul, you'll be brought before Caesar. All that sail with thee will be safe. And in verse 25, for I believe God, there shall it shall be even as it told me.

You know what a consolation it is when at times in life you wonder which way to turn. We're glad for the days when we're on the, as it were, the mountaintop, but to realize the valleys, he's there as well. And so Paul can stand up before these people.

It's like we were reminded yesterday to speak out. And I'm sure all of those 275, 74 people, because I would suggest Luke is there, and while he's a writer of the account, he realizes we have God on our side, no matter how much the vessels experiencing the storm tossed. Be of good cheer.

There shall not be any loss of a man's life among you. You know, to know your soul is saved, that was the cheer of sins forgiven. Whether it's a few nights ago or whether it be many years ago, there'll be a few here saved longer than I am.

But like I repeat from the late Leonard de Boer, saved but two weeks, and someone said to him, you're saved for a long time. He says, no, just two weeks. Leonard, you're saved for a long time.

No, the 23rd of December. Leonard, you're saved for a long time. You're saved for eternity.

He got the point. Be of good cheer. We're all going to make the shore.

How wonderful. Somewhere in this world, the last individual that turns to God in repentance and trusts Christ and completes the Bride of Christ, then he that shall come will come and shall not tarry. What a prospect.

We need to live to keep it that in mind. So as Paul goes on to say, first of all acknowledges that when he speaks of God, he recognizes whose I am. We're all the children of God through faith in the Lord Jesus, brought into a family to recognize there was a price paid for your redemption and mine that cost the Lord Jesus the precious blood of the cross and the deliverance from the penalty of sin to set us free from judgment to come as far as eternity.

And not only that to know what it is to be saved and secure, he reminds him, he says, not only whose I am, he knew the cheer of sins forgiven, but he knew as well that's whom I serve. You know there's a little verse there in Hebrews written to the child of God that we might serve our God with reverence and godly fear. That doesn't mean that we can't be happy.

We have a reason to be happy and to recognize that the one who saved us is interested in our our movements, the state of our soul. Paul could write that to the Philippians. You know while he was in Rome when he finally arrives and the centurion delivers him into the to the hand of the authorities there and he dwells in his own hired house.

You know God used him to write these what is termed the prison epistles. And when we think of being confined yet his prayers went out as he thought of many some he had known personally by face and not. His interest was in the fact that though and all that are saved we serve the God who has brought us into fellowship.

So there's not only the cheer of sins forgiven and we're reminded in prayer the close of the meeting this morning I think it was in regard to the Lord walking there on the sea and the waters and when he came near you know they were frightened. Peter went out and they walked up to him and brought him to this vessel. And when the Lord was in the hinder part another occasion of the ship a fast asleep and those disciples weary and fearful awaken them don't you care they were going to perish go down in these waters.

He rose and spoke to the wind peace be still in the sea there was a great calm. You know it's wonderful when the Lord gives us a word just when we need it. And as we think of him saying this the cheer of his presence.

But notice as well he testifies he says the God spoke to him and lo God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. So as they're approaching the shore they seem to realize they were getting near as mentioned yesterday the rocks and here they cast out these these four anchors verse 29 then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks they cast four anchors out of the stern and wished for the day. I wasn't in the Navy so I went to my dictionary to make sure the stern was a hinder part of the vessel.

So there they were four anchors. Well then a little bit later here the soldiers were gonna flee and leave the rest of them there in the vessel to as it were perish in a storm. And here they were throwing out four more anchors under color as it were in the in the in the four ship part of the ship.

But what struck me and looking at this another day or so the Apostle was observing watching what was going on. He could see these soldiers were thinking only themselves and here's Paul and he said to the centurion he says except these abide in the ship we'll all perish. You know the centurion spoke no doubt to the master of the vessel and those soldiers cut the ropes off of that boat that he were going to use.

The whole thing shows me this that he could stand before them and use the occasion to give God thanks and no doubt a public testimony of what the Lord had done for him personally what he would do physically for him amidst the trying circumstances. And so we find them here they are and he could say all that sail with thee we're going to land safely in the throat on the shore. Now when he says to them here God has given thee all them that sail with thee.

I was thinking of that word it's the end of John 16 we're hearing from John's gospel this morning. There's a little word that the Savior speaks that John records just before the Savior as John records his high priestly prayer in John 17. The verse is this in the world ye shall have tribulation troubles but be of good cheer I have overcome the world.

You come to John as he writes the revelation the letters to the churches the overcomers every child of God is linked with him who's going to give us to enjoy the victory. Our times are in his hands. The poet put it this way years ago whoever wrote these little words only one life will soon be passed only what's done for Christ will last.

Every one of us in assembly fellowship while we're only gathering with the assembly on the appointed times of gathering not only the Lord's Day meetings whether it's a midweek meeting or other meetings of the assembly we're gathered to his name 24 hours of the day. I've noticed over the recent times and I say this without being critical but there are places today saints comes to a midweek meeting and numbers are becoming smaller. You know and we sympathize there's work schedules there's problems cares but nevertheless of those seven days of 24 hours a day the times that we set aside to gather unless circumstances permit it to be found when the Saints are come together you know that's the center of our activity and he says this the angel of the Lord stood by me.

God had given thee all them that sail with thee. So in the midst of that storm he has advised them to take heed. He knew it might be a little hazardous little trip to the shore at the end here they might be strengthened.

You know this is a physical story but we're reminded today of the fact that the Good Shepherd the Great Shepherd that cares for his sheep he needs and desires you and I to be spiritually nourished and fed that spiritual vitality might be preserved. When he had taken bread you know we read there at the end towards the chapter verse 35 it was when they had broken it they began to eat then were they all of good cheer. So what a cheer we have to enjoy the cheer of guidance the cheer of the Lord's presence the cheer of sins forgiven that moment we are saved and to recognize as you come to chapter 28 and the opening verses show them where they're at and these people they call they're referred to as barbarous people.

They would be people that wouldn't know the God that Paul knew and the Lord Jesus. Nevertheless they had a sympathetic feeling towards these shipwrecked people. They showed them no little kindness provided a fire the present rain and the cold.

You know you think of those 276 individuals I no doubt would ponder they heard from the lips of the Apostle Paul of the Savior we hope they all came to know him personally as their own. Every one of them had escaped safely by whether by a board or whatever to the shore. So it's just passing so long and thinking a lot of our dear ones have left already to homeward bound have enjoyed the conference today and yesterday but nevertheless we trust that we'll not forget what we've been reminded of.

The world is not our home. What world are we living for anyway? The present or do we occupy until he comes? We don't know when he's coming but how blessed to know when he does we'll go. But until then we think of them recognizing that God was in control.

Paul eventually stood before Caesar. The book of the Acts closes as an unsigned letter. When we write a letter we always close with a little word of greeting sign our name.

But it simply would seem to speak of this. God's work has been furthered down through the centuries right to this present day. While the Saints here have been appreciating the fact that this has been their 110th conference at a small beginning I've read some of the account but as we ponder the kindness of God that our lives whether young or old whatever time we have left that we might realize the cheer the kindness and goodness of God to us to live these lives in a way that's honorable to them.

The life the path of separation gathering not only to his name but set apart in our earthly experience to show and let our little light shine. Mr. Ehrlich used to say this little light of mine let it shine let it shine it's a little course. You and your small corner and I in mine.

So I trust as we think of these thoughts about cheer it's cheered my soul and I trust it's a little cheer to yours today as we press on with what's to follow for his name's sake.