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Confidence When Storms Come
Acts 27:1-28:16
I have a reprint of a Rembrandt painting entitled “The Storm on the Sea of Galilee” on the
wall of my office.
Here’s a slide of it.
POWERPOINT
The Storm on the Sea of Galilee
Rembrandt painted this picture when he was 27. You’ve probably already figured it out,
but he’s illustrating the familiar story in the gospels where the disciples and Jesus are
crossing the Sea of Galilee, a great storm comes out of nowhere, waves begin to break
into the boat, the boat begins to fill…and Jesus is asleep on a cushion in the stern.
Every disciple illustrated in the painting—even though some were fishermen and
sailors—is depicted powerless up against a chaotic and raging sea. Each of them is just
trying to hang on for dear life. Isn’t that the best we can sometimes do when storms come
our way? The man at the bottom center of the picture putting one hand to his hat and
the other to the rigging is said to have the face of Rembrandt. It’s believed that
Rembrandt put “himself in the painting to inspire faith the Biblical text”1
As you know in the story, the disciples cry out to Jesus somewhat confounded, even
astonished that He could be sleeping at such a time: “Teacher, do you not care that we
are perishing?”
Jesus awoke --and it’s probably that moment depicted in the painting—he rebuked the
wind (interesting verb) and said to the sea (another interesting verb), “Peace! Be Still!”
And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
And then Jesus said to his disciples “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
What I’d like to do together for a minute or two is to turn this room into the boat and like
Rembrandt in the picture, let’s experience the storm together. It’s clear that the disciples
failed the test. It’s clear that the disciples failed to respond to the storm in a way that
Jesus wanted. What was it that Jesus would have liked the disciples to do in the midst of
that treacherous storm? How would Jesus have liked the disciples to encourage each
other in the midst of the storm for they were all going through the storm together?
Let me give you an opportunity to call out some things to all of us as we ride out the
storm together. (And to engage our younger listeners, could we sway from side to side
while we call out to each other?)
1
The Rembrandt Teaching Project Lesson Plan Storm on the Sea of Galilee
1
I’d like you to use this format….
“We can have confidence in this storm because….”
We can have confidence in this storm because…..(possible answers)
God is sovereign!
God is in control!
God is wise and good!
Jesus is in the boat with us!
Jesus is more powerful than any storm!
God never gives us more than we can handle!
God owns us… we are His….
Jesus will be faithful to His promise…Didn’t he say, “Let us go across
to the other side.”
He allows storms for our good!
Storms drive us to Him!
Now the reason we’ve taken the time to do this, is because our passage in Acts this
morning, Acts 27 and some of Acts 28 would seem to have echoes from this famous story
on the Sea of Galilee. Paul and a couple of Christian companions, Aristarchus and Luke,
and a boatload of unbelievers, this room full and a hundred more, find themselves in a
terrifying storm and Paul shows himself to be the model disciple, he shows himself to be
a perfect example for you and me when we face storms.
_____________
If you’ve been with us in our journey over the last few weeks in Acts, you know that the
apostle Paul was incarcerated in Caesarea for more than two years. In that time he had
hearings, not formal trials, before two different Roman governors and one so-called king,
a member of the Herod clan.
In his second hearing he appealed to Caesar and after consultation it was concluded that
he would indeed be sent to Caesar in Rome. It was governor Festus in the second
‘hearing’ who said, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you shall go!”
But there’s another fact that informs our story today. And it might be the most important
fact of all. Yes the Romans were determined to send Paul to Rome but God was even
more determined that Paul would get to Rome too. You see before Paul was even
transferred to Caesarea, before the hearings that we’ve just talked about, the Lord
appeared to him in Jerusalem one night when we was locked up in the Antonio Fortress.
Let’s briefly revisit that visitation from the Lord.
POWERPOINT
Acts 23:11 …
following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you
have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”
11 The
2
So Paul has been given a promise by the Lord Jesus just like the disciples had been given
a promise before they began to cross the Sea of Galilee, “Let us go to the other side.”
We can count on the Lord to keep his promises.
We pick up in Acts 27, verse 1. Follow with me as I read verses 1 and 2…
And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some
other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius. 2 And
embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the
coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from
Thessalonica.
Here’s a map of Paul’s journey…
Verse 1 tells us that the decision was made to sail for Italy and Paul and some other
prisoners—one author suggested these other prisoners would be convicted criminals
being sent to Rome to be killed in gladiatorial games as part of the entertainment for the
crowds2—Paul and some other prisoners were turned over to a centurion named Julius.
Centurions have been Paul’s allies up to this point and this one will prove to be the same.
Luke and Aristarchus, a Thessalonian believer, were allowed to accompany Paul. The
ship they were traveling on was a private vessel from the city of Adramyttium—you can
see the city of Adramyttium right above the word Asia on the map behind me. Leaving
Caesarea, the ship would have been returning home. It’s conceivable that Luke and
Aristarchus could have booked their own separate passages3 on the private vessel but it
was also true that a prisoner could be accompanied by family members or friends if the
Roman officials allowed it.4
2
Schnabel, page 1033
Peterson, page 682
4
Schnabel, page 1034
3
3
Evidently Aristarchus stayed with Paul as long as he was in Rome. “According to
tradition, he, like Paul, suffered martyrdom under Nero”5
And by the way there were no passenger ships in the first century. People typically
traveled on ships that carried grain or other food.
Verse 3--3 The next day we put in at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave
him leave to go to his friends and be cared for.
Sidon, the ship’s first port of call, was about 70 miles north of Caesarea. It was a day’s
trip. Unbelievably Julius, the centurion, permitted Paul to visit his friends—probably
members of the Christian community.6 He treated Paul kindly…the Greek word is
related to our English word ‘philanthropy’. Now this doesn’t mean that Paul was alone,
perhaps he had a soldier to guard him7, but it speaks volumes to the integrity that Paul
must have radiated to those he met.
Now looking at the map you might wonder why the ship even went north…why didn’t
they head across the Mediterranean strait west, a more direct route to Rome?
Well the prevailing winds blew from the west and northwest. And ships weren’t
equipped to sail directly into the wind. Ships leaving Palestine and heading to Italy
would typically sail to the east of Cyprus (as you can see on the map) and proceed with
difficulty along the coasts of Pamphylia and Lycia.8 Even if a ship left from Alexandria
in Egypt….you can see Alexandria and the Nile on the map…it would go north and hug
the coastline as it turned to the west.
putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee9 of Cyprus, because the
winds were against us. The word “lee” means the sheltered side of the island. Again
winds from the west dictated that they go east of Cyprus. 5 When we had sailed across
the open sea off the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia.
4 And
You can see those place names on the map. (Myra is perhaps best known for the
Christian leader who lived there in the third and fourth century: St Nicholas)10
6 There
the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on
board.
This new ship, the second ship that Paul and his comrades traveled on—there will
ultimately be three—originated in Alexandria, Egypt. It turns out that Egypt was
Rome’s breadbasket; Egypt provided a third of the grain that Rome needed annually.11
5
MacArthur, Acts, page 346
Fernando, Acts, page 610
7
Marshall, Acts, paeg 404
8
Bible Knowledge Commentary, page 427
9
a sheltered place, especially one on that side of anything away from the wind.(New World Dictionary)
6
10
11
Arnold, page 254
Schnabel, page 1035
4
And so this Alexandrian ship loaded with grain was making its way to Rome as all the
ships did. We find out later in the story12 that this particular ship, besides grain, had 276
passengers which seems like a stunningly large number. But Josephus, the Jewish
historian tells of a ship which he boarded to Italy which carried 600 passengers.13 In
Josephus’s story, the ship that he was traveling on from Palestine to Rome ran aground at
the mouth of the Adriatic Sea, forcing all 600 passengers to swim all night.14
Verse 7—We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off
Cnidus… You can see Cnidus on the map… And as the wind did not allow us to go
farther we sailed under the lee of Crete again the sheltered side of Crete, the east and
then south side, off Salmone. 8 Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place
called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea. Again you can see Fair Havens
on the map… 9 Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous
because even the Fast was already over, Paul advised them…
Now in mentioning the “fast” Luke is referring to the Day of Atonement which scholars
believe fell around October 5th that year. 15
The Roman military writer Vegetius wrote “that navigation on the Mediterranean was
considered dangerous after September 15th and that it ceased completely for the winter
from November 11th to March 15th.” 16
Are you following? It was dangerous to travel from September 15th to November 11th
and Luke is saying it was already after October 5th. The sea was closed after November
11th because of winter storms, fog and overcast skies which made navigation by the sun
and the stars nearly impossible.17
Continuing in verse 9…. Paul advised them, 10 saying, “Sirs, I perceive that the
voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also
of our lives.”
Now it’s kind of amazing that Paul steps to the front here and gives his advice. What does
he know about sailing? Isn’t he just a landlubber? And it’s not that he got a special word
from the Lord here. He’s just using wisdom for he does have a lot of travel experience18
and he may, besides the centurion Julius, have been the only other Roman citizen on
board.19 He felt free to give his advice.
11 But
the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship
than to what Paul said.
12
13
verse 37
Bible Knowledge Commentary, page 428
14
Schnabel, page 1046
15
Fernando, Acts, page 611
Marshall, Acts, page 406
16
17
Schnabel, page 1037
2 Corinthians 11:25-26
19
Schnabel, page 1037
18
5
“The pilot or captain was a hired professional who had full authority over the running of
the vessel and full command of its crew. The owner was the man who had the use of the
vessel…either through ownership or charter.”20
Why verse 11 makes it sound like the centurion was the one who made the final decision
about whether to sail or not is a bit of a mystery: Why would a commanding officer in the
Roman army have the final say about whether a ship sailed or not?
Some scholars suggest that this was so because grain ships were considered to be in
government service.21 (It just so happens that Emperor Claudius and his successor the
current emperor Nero, offered a bounty to ship owners ‘willing to sail in the dangerous
season to bring extra grain to Rome.22 So we can see why the ship owner would vote to
go ahead.)
Verse 12 helps us out a bit by describing the decision as a group decision—the majority
decided to put out….
12 And
because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority
decided to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach
Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest, and spend the
winter there.
Phoenix was some 30 to 40 miles west of Fair Havens on Crete. You can see Phoenix on
the map also, just west of Fair Havens. Supposedly it had a better harbor.
Well verse 13… 13 Now when the south wind blew gently…a south wind is a wind
from the south…with a wind from the south they could hug the coast line of Crete…
supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed
along Crete, close to the shore. Phoenix was just hours away.
But the moment they began their voyage, the weather dramatically changed—the wind
from the south became a wind from the northeast.
14 But
soon a tempestuous wind, called the northeaster, struck down from the land.
A tempestuous wind—the Greek word beneath tempestuous is related to the English
word for typhoon—struck down from the land. Such winds were thought to come from
Typhon, the supposed father of the winds23. So the unbelievers on board were probably
thinking that their ‘god’ Typhon had reared his angry head.
20
21
22
23
Schnabel, page 1038
Bible Knowledge Commentary, page 427
Peterson, page 686
Peterson, page 687
6
Now look at the map. What would a wind coming from the north east d0 to a ship in their
situation? It would drive them southwest. And that is what happened.
15 And
when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and
were driven along. 16 Running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we
managed with difficulty to secure the ship’s boat. Cauda –some of our versions say
Clauda--was about 23 miles southwest of Crete24 and you can see its location on the map.
Verse 16 says they had difficulty securing the lifeboat. Typically the life boat was towed
behind the ship but in bad weather it was taken on board.
So securing the lifeboat was the first emergency measure they took. Verse 17 gives us
the second emergency measure…
Verse 17 After hoisting it up, they used supports to undergird the ship. This
procedure, supposedly known as “frapping”, involved wrapping cables around the ship’s
hull and then winching them tight. This extra support would enable the ship to withstand
the severe pounding of wind and sea and secure any planking that had come loose and
was letting water into the ship.25
Continuing in verse 17… Then, fearing that they would run aground on the Syrtis,
they lowered the gear, and thus they were driven along.
At this point they really have no idea where they are but they begin to fear the dreaded
shallows off the shore of modern day Libya in North Africa called “Syrtis”—a veritable
graveyard for ships. You can see it on the map. It had a reputation like the Bermuda
triangle and put fear in every seaman’s heart. 26 The area was “a treacherous zone of
shallows and quicksands.”27 The Syrtis were some 400 nautical miles from Cauda so we
get a feel for the power of the wind and its potential to quickly take them off course.
The word ‘gear’ in verse 17--the NIV says ‘sea anchor’—is a general word that could
refer to any equipment.28 Some suggest that they lowered any extra sail and rigging and
kept up only a ‘minimal storm sail with which the keep the ship steady’29 Others suggest
that they threw in a drift anchor of some type to offer resistance every time the ship
plunged from the crest of the wave. Whatever it was that they did, it slowed the progress
of the ship.
Verse 18 18 Since we were violently storm-tossed, they began the next day to jettison
the cargo. This could have been some of the grain that they were carrying. We know
that they didn’t throw all of it over; we’ll see that later.
24
MacArthur, Acts, page 350
MacArthur, Acts, page 350
26
Fernando, Acts, page 611
25
27
28
29
Schnabel, page 1040
Bible Knowledge Commentary, page 428
Schnabel, page 1049
7
19 And
on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own
hands. Again the word “tackle” is somewhat ambiguous. It may have been the main
spar--the thick strong pole used to support the rigging on the ship. In any event it wasn’t
crucial to sailing the ship.30
neither sun nor stars appeared for many days--in other words they couldn’t
navigate-- and no small tempest lay on us, all hope of our being saved was at last
abandoned.
20 When
For the first time in the story, the terminology of salvation is introduced and it will
continue to show up in the story. Of course the passengers on the ship hope to be saved
from the peril of a physical storm. There is a greater peril that awaits them
The crew, the prisoners and the other passengers have come to the end of themselves.
They have given up all hope of being saved. Verse 20 they have abandoned all hope of
being saved…. The only thing they see in front of them is a terrible death by drowning.
And it’s at that point that Paul shares a vision he had from an angel of God that very
night.
21 Since
they had been without food for a long time…perhaps because of seasickness
and anxiety… Paul stood up among them and said, “Men, you should have listened
to me and not have set sail from Crete and incurred this injury and loss…I don’t
think Paul is saying “I told you so” but I do think he is trying to win their attention…
22 Yet now I urge you to take heart…that is have courage…get your composure… be
confident… for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship….very
specific details…don’t you imagine the passengers and crew wondered if they were
dreaming or not? How could this be? No loss of life among us, but only the ship? What
are you saying man?
You and I don’t know what the future holds but we do know who holds the future. It’s
not Typhone, the supposed father of the winds whom many of the passengers would have
been familiar with. It’s not the twin sons of Zeus, the Greek gods Castor and Pollux, who
supposedly ensured safe travel. Representations of them will be on the figurehead of the
next ship that Paul and his friends travel on in Acts 28. It’s not Typhone. It’s not Castor
and Pollux. No, it’s the God who created the heavens and the earth. It’s the God who
commands the weather. Paul says ‘My God knows the future and He has told me that
there will be no loss of life among you, but only the ship will be destroyed’
23 For
this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong
and whom I worship,…Heaven’s not so far away is it?... 24 and he said, ‘Do not be
afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all
those who sail with you.’ 25 So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be
exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must run aground on some island.”
30
MacArthur, Acts, page 350
8
“Borrow some of my faith” Paul basically says. Why? “The God to whom I belong and
the God whom I worship or serve has given me a sketch of the near future. He’s
reminded me of a promise he gave me over two years ago….I must stand before Caesar…
so my God is saving me to stand before Caesar in Rome and because He’s saving me,
He’s saving you who are with me.” Perhaps Paul had prayed that God would graciously
deliver those who were on the ship with him and God was answering his prayer.
“I belong to this God” Paul says…inevitably Paul was reminded that he was not his
own, that he had been purchased by God, that God owned him and that in the truest sense
of all he himself had already died and his life was hidden with Christ in God… “I belong
to this God,” Paul says…like a bride belongs to a groom, like a child belongs to a father,
like a sheep belongs to a shepherd …
Isn’t that a great thing to remember in the midst of a storm? “I belong to you God. I am
not my own. I am your possession. You purchased me with the precious blood of Christ”
James Montgomery Boice tells of a man who whenever he encountered trouble, used to
look up at heaven and say, “God, did you know that they’re attacking your property”31
I belong to this God…and I worship this God….inevitably Paul was reminded of
God’s greatness.
Isn’t that a great thing to remember in the midst of a storm? I worship and serve the God
who created the heavens and the earth. Nothing is too difficult for him! He is worthy of
my worship.
Paul knew that if there was more work to do, God would keep him safe to get it done.
You and I can be assured of that too.
25 So
take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been
told.
What’s Paul doing there? He’s trusting in God’s promises. He’s taking God at his word.
He’s saying, “God is as good as His word”
Isn’t that a great thing to remember in the midst of a storm? God will be faithful to his
promises.
Inevitably Paul’s courage and hope was contagious on that ship.
“When John Wesley was on his voyage to North America as a missionary from England,
his ship encountered a terrible storm, so bad that the passengers feared for their lives.
The English immigrants coming to America on the ship were shrieking with fear.
Wesley examined himself as he usually did in all circumstances, “and found to his horror
that he was afraid, mortally afraid of dying.” But a group of Moravian Christians from
31
Boice, Acts, page 413
9
Germany were singing hymns amidst the storm. After the storm subsided, Wesley went
to one of them and asked, “Were you not afraid?” The man replied, “I thank God! No!”
“But were your women and children afraid?” “No” came the reply, “Our woman and
children are not afraid to die.”32
The courage of the Moravian Christians in the midst of storm influenced John Wesley
deeply. He subsequently trusted Christ because of their witness in the storm and the rest
is history.33
We should do our best to proclaim the greatness of our God in the midst of our storms.
People take note. Paul was the ideal disciple in the storms of life because he reminded
himself of God’s great power and of God’s ownership of him and he spoke to everyone
about His God.
_________________
Continuing in verse 27…
27 When the fourteenth night had come, as we were being driven across the Adriatic
Sea, (on the map behind me the Adriatic Sea is the sea between Italy and Greece but in
New Testament times, portions of the central Mediterranean were called the Adriatic
Sea)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.
A fathom is the distance measured by a person’s arms stretched out horizontally. It’s
usually thought to be about six feet. So the sailors took a sounding and the water depth
was 120 feet. They took another sounding and it was 90 feet. Archaeologists have
discovered some of the weights used in this process. “The bottom of the weight is
hollowed out so it could be filled with tallow or grease. When lowered and drug on the
floor of the sea, the grease would pick up rocks and debris.”34
29 And
fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the
stern and prayed for day to come.
Realizing that they were rapidly approaching land but unable to see in the darkness, the
sailors feared that the ship would run aground so they dropped four anchors from the
stern to slow the ship down.
At this point in the story, Paul and his friends on the ship don’t know it but they are near
the island of Malta. In fact it’s believed they were only about three miles from the
entrance of what is known today (for obvious reasons) as St. Paul’s Bay.
32
Ingvar Haddal, John Wesley, A Biography, 1961, page 50-51 and quoted by Fernando.
Fernando, Acts, page 619
34
Arnold, page 259
33
10
It’s believed Paul’s ship passed by Koura point on the map and entered the bay.
Isn’t it astounding that the boat arrived at a small dot of land in the middle of the sea…a
small dot of land called Malta?
There’s a book that was written over 100 years ago called “The Voyage and Shipwreck
of St. Paul” by a fellow by the name of James Smith.
Smith was an experienced yachtsman and a classical scholar who was very familiar with
the section of the Mediterannean Sea that makes its appearance in our story. He made a
careful study of Luke’s narrative and calculated the time it would take for a ship drifting
and trying to avoid the Syrtis, to do the trip that Paul’s ship made--about 475 nautical
miles. 35 His calculations said such a ship could make the distance from Fair Havens to
Malta in thirteen days, one hour and twenty-one minutes which comes so very close to
what Paul says in verse 27….On the fourteenth night…..36 Luke’s records are
trustworthy. Smith validated a whole host of other things about this story too.37
Verse 30….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.”
Again, Paul makes a crucial observation. Some of the sailors—how many we don’t
know—were trying to abandon the ship. They were pretending to take the life boat out to
the bow and lower some anchors there. Well Paul notified the centurion and he took
action.
32 Then
the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it go.
35
Marshall, Acts, page 411
Fernando, Acts, page 612
37
James Smith concluded that the account before us in Acts 27 was the product of an eye witness who was not himself a sailor. But
Luke’s words are accurate in terms of the route the ship took, ancient navigating skills, details of the ships physical construction, and
the way in which the sailors tried to cope with the storm.
36
11
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.” …seems to be an
echo from Jesus, doesn’t it? …an echo communicating God’s complete and utter
protection of them…
33 As
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.
Doubtless Paul’s prayer included thanks for the great deliverance experienced up to this
point. Wrap your minds around the scene…Paul thinking the true God of heaven for His
great deliverance.
36 Then
they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 (We were in all
276 persons in the ship.) 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the
ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
The thought in lightening the ship more was that it would run aground closer to the
beach.
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.
So they did three things in verse 40…..
They cut the ropes that held the four anchors that had been lowered from the stern.
They loosened the ropes that tied the rudders—this lowered the rudders into the water.
And they hoisted the foresail to catch the wind and 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.
According to Roman law guards incurred the penalty that awaited any prisoner who
escaped.38
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.
The proposed 30-40 mile trip from Fair Havens to Phoenix in the providence of God
ended two weeks later on the island of Malta.
38
Schnabel, page 1048
12
If you were to visit Malta today, there is a church on the waterfront where it’s believed
Paul scrambled ashore….St Paul’s Shipwreck Church, also known as Church of St
Paul's Bonfire.
Continuing into chapter 28…
28 After we were brought safely through…literally after having been saved…
we
2 The
then learned that the island was called Malta.
native people showed us
unusual kindness—the same Greek word is used here as was used of the centurion’s
treatment of Paul when they reached Sidon, the Greek word from which we get our
English word “philanthropy”—for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it
had begun to rain and was cold. 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.”
Now if you’re using the NIV or ESV you see that the word “Justice” is capitalized.
That’s because interpreters believe that Luke is referring to Dike, the Greek goddess of
justice, the favorite daughter of Zeus, who ‘immediately reported to Zeus all the
unrighteous deeds of mankind so that people would have to pay for their crimes’39
So here’s the point. The residents of Malta know that Paul survived an incredible
shipwreck only to be bitten by a poisonous viper—and by the way there are no poisonous
snakes on Malta today but there may well have been in Paul’s time—and they interpret
that to mean that Dike has been at work….No doubt this man is a murderer. Though
he escaped from the sea…the sea didn’t get him for his sin… Dike has not allowed
him to live.
Paul however, verse 5 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. 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.
From a murderer to a god….
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.
39
Schnabel, page 1050-1051
13
Let me just read verses 11-15 and we’ll cover them in more detail next week…
11 After
three months we set sail in a ship that had wintered in the island, a ship of
Alexandria, with the twin gods as a figurehead….I mentioned Castor and Pollux
earlier… twin sons of Zeus who supposedly ensured the smooth sailing of ships….
12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. 13 And from there we made
a circuit and arrived at Rhegium. And after one day a south wind sprang up, and on
the second day we came to Puteoli. 14 There we found brothers and were invited to
stay with them for seven days. And so we came to Rome. 15 And the brothers there,
when they heard about us, came as far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns
to meet us. On seeing them, Paul thanked God and took courage.
Well as we close let’s return to the boat on the sea of Galilee…. And let’s express our
confidence when storms come.On the back of your sermon notes, you’ll see several
paragraphs under the heading…We Can Have Confidence in the Storms of Life.
Let’s read those out loud together.
Brothers and sisters, we can have confidence in the storms of life because we know that
God loves us. He loves us with an everlasting, before time kind of love.
Brothers and sisters we can have confidence in the storms of life because we know that
nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from the love of Christ.40 Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or
famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?41... No, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him who loved us.42 For we can be sure that neither death
nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor
powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Brother and sisters, we can have confidence in the storms of life because God is more
powerful than any storm we might face. Angry seas, life threatening diseases, unsolvable
problems are no match for His powerful word.
Brothers and sisters, we can have confidence in the storms of life because God is
sovereign. We know that for those who love God all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose.43 We don’t know what the future
holds but we know who holds the future.
Brothers and sisters we can have confidence in the storms of life for He will be faithful to
the many promises He made to us. He will be faithful to his promise to never leave us
40
Romans 8:39
Romans 8:35
42
Romans 8:37
43
Romans 8:28
41
14
nor forsake us.44 He will be faithful to his promise to sustain us to the end, guiltless in
the day of our Lord Jesus.45 He will be faithful to His promise, that having begun a good
work in us, He will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.46 He will be faithful
to his promise to come again and take us to Himself, that where He is we may be also.47
He will be faithful to His promise to raise us from the dead.48
Brothers and sisters we can have confidence in the storms of life because we’ve been
irreversibly caught up in a great plan of salvation from which we cannot be lost. We
whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son. And
we whom He predestined, He also called, and we whom He called, He also justified and
we whom He justified will one day…the promise goes be glorified.49
Finally brothers and sisters we can have confidence in the storms of life because we
belong to Him. We belong to Him like children belong to a father.50 We belong to Him
like sheep belong to a shepherd.51 We belong to him like a bride belongs to her groom.52
Our lives are hidden with Christ in God.53 We are not our own. We were bought with the
precious blood of Christ. 54
44
Hebrews 13:5
1 Corinthians 1:8
46
Philippians 1:6
47
John 14:3
4848
I Corinthians 15
49
Roman 8:29-30
50
1 John 3:1
51
Luke 15
52
2 Corinthians 11:2
53
Colossians 3:3
54
1 Peter 1:19; I Cor. 6:20
45
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