Acts 27 v 27-30

Recap: (Part 1 Here)

Paul is on his way to Rome as a prisoner to stand trial before Caesar.

There have been terrible storms, but God has told Paul that everyone will be safe. Only the ship will be lost.

They have taken such a violent battering that cargo has been thrown overboard just to keep them afloat.

We talked last time about the Covid Storm our ship has been through and the cargo we have had to throw overboard in our personal lives just to stay afloat.

Some cargo we hope to find washed ashore with us on the other side of this storm.

Some may be best left buried at sea.

The same is true of the church. We have had to let go of many sorts of things just to keep the ship together – our meetings and our methods.

The Lord is good and he has an unstoppable plan to build his church and the variants of Covid will not stand against it.

Let’s read a little further into the story.

Acts 24 v 27-30

²⁷ On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.

When I read this a few weeks ago I though perhaps we are approaching land, able to meet again as a church. But who knows. What I do know is that 14 nights is a very long time to be in a boat on the sea in a storm! Far longer than I imagine any of the sailors or passengers would have imagined. But God knew. He knew how long they would be in the boat for, how long the storm would last, and where they would end up after the storm.

The truth is, he knows the same for us. He is God, he is Lord of the church, Lord of your life, and he will bring us to safety even if we feel right now as if we are being driven across the Adriatic sea with no hope in sight.

²⁸ They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet deep. ²⁹ Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight.

Many of us, myself included, have felt battered during the Covid storm.

We take soundings, watching the news, waiting for release from lockdown, fearing the worst, praying for daylight.

Some of us have put anchors down during this time: mechanisms in our life intended to bring stability. Healthy and unhealthy anchors exist in many people’s lives, e.g. a daily walk, or reliance on alcohol.

Taking soundings, laying down anchors, all can be healthy and good in their place. There are healthy strategies to help us deal with emotions and our own mental health.

And Paul in this story comes out best because of his relationship with Jesus. If we remain close to him we will hear his voice.

Let’s take a moment to notice the evangelistic thread running through this story with Paul the evangelist. He’s just a prisoner to the rest of the people on board. But he has told them about the God he serves and what that God has said to him about the storm.

Now they are praying because of their predicament. Some may be praying to other gods, but I bet there were a good number who thought they might turn to this God of whom Paul so boldly spoke.

As we go through life’s storms and as we speak of prayer and God when opportunity allows, may God also prompt those around us to turn to him. All because someone – you – had an impact on them by your own testimony.

Pause to reflect: What soundings have we been taking? The sailors would drop a chain weighed down by lead or brass until it hit the bottom. Then they’d know how deep the water was. Sometimes we try to get to the bottom of something when God wants us to look up. Where have we been looking for advice, guidance, hope? Let’s look to him, worship him, glorify him, minister to him. He will bring us through. The bible is clear on this. Praise precedes breakthrough. Human wisdom is foolishness.

Well, have you ever felt like just jumping ship? One time during the first lockdown I stormed out of our house, slammed the door and went for a very long walk. Cabin fever had got on top of me! I can relate to these naughty sailors in the next part of the story although I don’t think it was cabin fever they were experiencing, rather a self-centred self-preservation.

³⁰ In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow.

Now that’s just cheeky.

It might be tempting in any storm to jump ship, leave the mess behind, run away from your shipmates who don’t always understand you or appreciate how hard this is for you, and easier to do it quietly without being noticed.

This didn’t get past Paul’s notice though.

Somehow, someone will see you slipping out the back door, even if it’s not the captain. Paul was just a passenger. If you separate yourself from God’s people, the ship of his fellowship, you will be missed. And the best place, the safest place, even when a storm has hit us, is in fellowship and connection with your Christian brothers and sisters.