ACTS 27 : Experiencing the Holy Spirit’s Peace in the Storm

At times you see the storm coming and sometimes you do not. In this chapter of Acts we find Paul serene in the midst of not only a brutal storm but a disastrous shipwreck, as he rises from a prisoner on board to the acting, de-facto captain of the ship when others look to him for leadership. God enables His ambassadors1 to rise to any occasion, confident and filled with His peace2-- a fruit of the Holy Spirit which God knows His beloved need in turbulent times. “People should be able to see by the way we behave and think that God is real.”3 Let’s climb aboard and enter into this next stormy adventure with Paul, where he perseveres in sharing the faith in spite of the most dire of circumstances. Luke, a physician and most assuredly not a seasoned sailor, records each detail to chronicle Paul’s reaction and challenge each of us to stay afloat by means of our steadfast faith as well.

In :21, Paul confidently declared: “I must also see .” Little did he know that he would travel 2,000 miles as a prisoner and survive surging ocean waves several stories high, a harrowing shipwreck, and poisonous snakes. Through it all, he held tightly to God’s promise in :11, where the “Lord stood by him and said: ______.”

27:2 What portrait of friendship is found in Paul’s relationship with Luke and Aristarchus in :10, 14 and Philemon 23-24? ______Life Application: Ponder Aristarchus, who “undertook a dangerous journey at the worst time of the year for sea voyages, simply to serve Paul—an example of friendship made stronger and deeper by faith in Christ. He is mentioned in Acts 19:29; again in 20:4; and in Colossians where Paul referred to him as ‘my fellow prisoner,’ and finally in Philemon, as Paul’s ‘fellow worker.’ We do not know in what capacity he served, but his place in history was secured through his serving. Paul could not have accomplished all he did without the help of people like Aristarchus. Not everyone can be a Paul, but almost anyone can be an Aristarchus. Perhaps you feel unequipped to serve God in an important position, but you can quietly, humbly do essential kingdom work. Devote your time to doing what you can. Although no one notes your efforts or praises your accomplishments, God keeps careful records. ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have

1 2 Corinthians 5:20 2 1 Peter 5:14 3 Barron, Bishop Robert. Centered: The Spirituality of Word on Fire. ©2020 by Fire Catholic Ministries, Park Ridge, IL, pp 101. opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong the family of believers’ (Galatians 6:9-10).”4

27:3 Geographical Note: was located 70 miles north of Caesarea and hosted a vibrant Christian church which was probably established following Stephen’s martyrdom/ Diaspora. Paul’s Christian friends there likely outfitted him with supplies for the remaining journey.

27:10 What detailed word of prophecy does Paul offer the centurion Julius? What three things are in imminent danger? 1- ______2-______3-______How many passengers were on this particular grain ship? (Acts 27:37) ______

27:9-12 Historical note: By noting when the Fast (27:9) occurred in AD 60, which references the Day of Atonement, it can be determined that Paul’s ship set sail towards the end of October. “Prisoners were not sent on a special ship; instead, places were negotiated for them on merchant ships. The centurion finds places for these prisoners on a ship which has to call into various ports on the coast of Minor, in the hope of eventually finding a ship bound for .”5 It was notoriously difficult to sail from east to west on the Mediterranean, even in the best of seasons, as the prevailing winds typically blow from west to east. Sailors absolutely avoided traveling from November 11 to March 10 because of the unpredictable and rough weather. With an uneasy eye on the calendar, as it was now the beginning of November, their route starts by skirting , heading westward to Italy, docking at on the southern coast of Turkey, changing ships to board a large grain boat from that is bringing its cargo to Italy. Alexandria at the time was “the largest port city in northern . Cargo ships like this one often passed from Egypt to Italy, supplying the Roman capital with most of its wheat and grains.”6 This earned Egypt the title of the bread basket of the Roman Empire, thanks to the rich soil along the Nile. Grain transport ships accounted for a large percentage of marine traffic in the Mediterranean, and Myra was a hub of the imperial grain trade. Forty days have now passed from the time Paul left in late October, inching them closer to the No-Sail season. Once they pass the island of , they come to the island of , docking in Fair Havens, and there make the risky decision (against Paul’s advice) to proceed, as exposed Fair Havens was not a good sheltering place during the winter for ships. In an attempt to reach the northern side of Crete for wintering, they are blown off course by the much- feared, infamous northeastern wind.

4 Seabolt, Camilla. The : Volume 2: Lessons 16-30. ©2009 by Community Study, Colorado Springs, CO, pp 152. 5 The Navarre Bible: Acts of the Apostles. © 2000 by Four Courts Press, Dublin, Ireland, pp 258. 6 Hahn, Scott. Ignatius Study Bible: The Acts of the Apostles: Commentary, Notes, & Study Questions. © 2002 by Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, pp 61. Desperate measures are taken. The cargo is tossed overboard. The anchor is thrown overboard to act as a brake and action taken to brace the ship (with ropes wrapped around from the boat deck around the bottom of the boat) to withstand the pounding waves as much as possible. The eyewitness Luke gives a stunning portrayal of nautical practice of the day and captures the tension and terror experienced by its passengers, prisoner and crew alike. Only Paul remains calm in the midst of the chaos.

27:10 Word study: The Greek word ‘perceive’ means ‘to perceive from past experience.’ This is not the first time Paul has been tossed by and survived life-threatening high seas. How many times can Paul put this experience on his resume? 2 Corinthians 11:25 ______

27:13 Why was the decision made to press onward and leave Fair Havens? ______

27:16 By the time they reached the small island of Cauda, they were already over 23 miles south of their desired trajectory, but eventually they will find themselves over 500 miles off course and adrift in the Adrian Sea after two weeks at sea (Acts 27:27-32).

27:17 The Syrtis sandbanks off the northern coast of Africa, near Libya, were known as the graveyard of ships for good reason. To avoid running aground and not certain of their proximity to the Syrtis, the sailors take what two actions? ______In the next verse, they lower the anchor to brake their being driven so quickly southward by the wind and then discard cargo to lighten the ship---both measures in order to not run aground on the sandbars.

27:19 Note that once the tackle was thrown overboard, the boat was impossible to control.

27:20 How desperate was the situation, according to Paul’s assessment here?______Note: Ships of this era navigated by means of the stars, and the storm had blocked all sight of the sun and stars for two weeks. Now they were hopelessly lost, tossed about in violent waves of terrifying height—and all hope was evaporating.

Recall a “desperate time” in your life. How can you now see God’s protective and guiding hand in it? ______Spend some time now simply thanking and praising God for how He has been at work in so many of your life events, particularly the more ‘difficult’ ones.

“Remember that you are never alone. Christ is with you in your journey every day of your lives! He has called you and chosen you to live in the freedom of the children of God. Turn to Him in prayer and in love”- St Pope John Paul II.

27:22 What “word of encouragement” or “word of knowledge” does Paul give his fellow passengers? How can you as a Christian encourage members of the secular culture around you to “take heart”? What action might this require on your part? ______“There is no place for selfishness and fear! Do not be afraid, then, when love makes demands. Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice”- St Pope John Paul II.

The gift of “exhortation-sometimes called the gift of counseling- is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the Body of Christ to minister words of comfort, consolation, encouragement, and counsel to other members of the Body in such a way that they feel helped and healed. See :22; Romans 12:8; 1 Timothy 4:13; and Hebrews 10:25.”7 Who do you know who could use your encouragement today? Will you do so? ______

27:22-24 What promise did “the angel of God” give Paul? How did this fortify Paul for the uncertain and difficult days ahead? ______Paul’s mere presence and leadership blessed those on board with him. How does the cascade of God’s grace affect others around you? ______“Why did God not save the boat from shipwreck? So that the travelers would realize the scale of the danger and that they were saved from it not by any human help but by God, who saved their lives after the boat broke up…. Aboard a ship in danger of being engulfed by the waves, the enchained prisoners and the whole crew owe their safety to the presence of Paul. See how useful it is to live in the company of a devout and saintly person. Frequent and terrible storms buffet our souls. God can free us from them if we are as sensible as those sailors and pay attention to the saints’ advice.”8

27:25 Why could Paul stay so calm in the midst of a truly terrifying event? The clue rests in this verse when he states: “I have ______.” How can your faith enable you to not give in to the hopelessness overwhelming those around you? ______

7 Wagner, C. Peter. Discover Your Spiritual Gifts. © 2012 by Baker Publishing Co., Minneapolis, MN, pp 149. 8 St John Chrysostom, Hom. On Acts, 53- found in commentary in The Navarre Bible: Acts of the Apostles, pp 264. Trusting in God’s Word was a habit for Paul. How he had over time exercised faith in God? Philippians 5:11-13 ______

27:29 “For most, a growing sense of panic set in. Even the seasoned sailors were grim and quiet as they longed for the light of day. For now, their only hope was those four anchors thrown off the stern, resulting in a relentless tug-of-war against the powerful pull of the surging swells (27:29). Perfect storms in our life are largely unpredictable. They rage on with seemingly no end in sight. Often, they appear to be wildly out of control. Where you find yourself today is not the result of an accident, nor are you alone. God is neither absent nor indifferent. You are precisely where He planned for you to be at this very moment. He could have calmed your storm at any point, but He hasn’t. Allow me to move from the stinging spray blasting its way across the deck of that ship mentioned in Acts 27 to the real-world storm you may now be facing. Questions emerge as fear grows within. Panic thoughts make you uneasy. How do you keep it together? How do you replace sheer panic with simple trust? You sense the worse is to come. So what do you do? Like the crew of Paul’s doomed vessel, you throw out the anchor. In fact, you throw four of them. These reliable anchors for your storm-tossed soul are sure to hold you fast. 1- The anchor of stability At difficult, gut-wrenching moments God says, ‘Don’t be afraid. I have a plan.’ People facing intense adversity find it difficult to focus on anything other than the towering waves and stinging winds. Paul firmly announces: ‘Be of good cheer… We’ve heard from the Lord that none will be lost.’ We find stability in storms through what God has said. Your tendency will be to turn to another source for strength rather than the Word of God. 2- The anchor of unity Paul knew that staying together was the secret of their survival. The temptation was strong to abandon ship and let each person fend for himself. That’s no way to survive a storm. You and I are designed by God to make it together. The anchor of unity holds us close. 3- The anchor of renewal Can you imagine fighting a storm for two weeks and getting virtually no nourishment? That’s what the men on Paul’s ship experienced. Even more amazing, that’s how most respond to life’s storms. We run our tanks dry fighting the battles on our own, and we end up physically weak, emotionally drained, and unable to sleep. The anchor of renewal guards against that sort of depletion. Instead, Paul encouraged the men to eat and be renewed. But first he prayed. They all prayed! Can you imagine that scene? The storm raged about them, while almost 300 men bowed in prayer as Paul gave thanks for the meager fare, then everybody on board joined together in the meal. Your personal nourishment is crucial during times of storm. In panic moments, you’ll cut a corner on your meals. You’ll also fail to get sufficient sleep. It won’t be long before you set aside prayer altogether, and you’ll find yourself drained, spiritually. Increased emotional pain mixed with decreased spiritual renewal can be lethal to your faith. Spiritual renewal comes primarily through prayer. Few disciplines are of greater importance when all seems bleak. Simply talk it out. Wrestle with the reason for the storm. Seek His direction. Don’t let up until you’re satisfied you’ve got the Lord’s mind. That’s what Paul modeled on the deck of that rugged ship. 4-The anchor of reality The only way they were going to get out of this storm alive was that all of them got into the water and made their way to shore. The reality included a ship that began to break apart. Passivity is faith’s enemy. It isn’t an acceptable option to fold our arms and wait for the storm to pass. Everybody who experienced deliverance from that ship on the reef had the same thing in common once they got to the island--- they were all soaking wet!”9

27:30 The escape attempt by some of the crew indicate that they were panicking, for it would be just as impossible to navigate around the rocks in the daylight as in the dark. When Paul informs the centurion of the plan, the life boats are cut away, preventing any from escaping. Why did the centurion take this action, based on Paul’s warning? ______“We are in this all together” summarizes Paul’s stance. How might you be tempted to be selfish in a crisis? How does God want you to look after the welfare of others? ______

27:34 What practical advice does Paul give his shipmates, who have fasted due to sea sickness, rationing, loss of food supplies to the storm, fear or depression?______

27:35 Do you pray before eating in a public place like McDonald’s? ______“Paul was the most valuable man on that ship! He knew how to pray, he had faith in God, and he was in touch with the Almighty….Paul’s example encouraged the others to join him, and before long, everybody felt better. There are times when one dedicated believer can change the whole atmosphere of a situation simply by trusting God and making that faith visible.”10

27:36 What impact did Paul have on the crew? How can you tell by their actions? ______If they had not eaten, many would not have had the strength to swim to shore. Note that God will give you wisdom to be practical in a crisis!

Life Application:

9 Swindoll, Charles. Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit. © 2002 by The W Publishing Group, Nashville, TN, pp 291-298. 10 Wiersbe, Warren. Be Daring: Commentary: -28. © 1988 by David C Cook, Colorado Springs, CO, pp 168-169. “In Acts 27, God uses Paul as an example of how to be the kind of person other people can depend upon in a crisis. When you think of people in need, how do you feel- eager to help, compassionate, inadequate, fearful? What qualities do you now have that make it possible for people to turn to you when they need help? What qualities do you need to develop in order for God to minister to people more effectively through you?”11

27:38 Note: By throwing the remainder of the cargo overboard, they lightened the boat so that it could sail closer to shore before hitting bottom and invariably breaking up.

27:42-43 How was Paul’s life again threatened and who did God use to save His faithful servant? ______Do you believe that God will take care of you? ______

Home Application & Conclusion: “There are seasons in which I am overwhelmed by what is asked of me. I doubt my ability to accomplish tasks that seem monumental and impossible. I beg for clarity, plead for a miracle, and hope that all will be well with my restless soul. Searching for relief, Mary’s example is my answer. When the time was right, God sent his angel Gabriel to Mary (Annunciation). Gabriel assured her of God’s favor and love, and revealed her purpose: she would be Mother to the Son of God! She trembled and wondered. Mary did not require a detailed plan, as I sometimes do. She did not demand assurance of success, as I sometimes do. Her ‘yes’ did not spare her trials but allowed miracles to occur. Her ‘yes’ brought an exhausting journey; heavy with child, she traveled to Bethlehem, gave birth among animals, and produced a light so bright it drew kings to lie prostrate before the newborn Babe. My ‘yes’ when I am being offered overwhelms me and seems impossible. It is in my ‘yes’ albeit offered with a trembling voice—that the way is illuminated and grace upon grace abounds.”12

By including such a detailed account of this shipwreck, Luke is showing how God’s purpose (bring Paul to Rome) will be fulfilled no matter the obstacles. Also, it provides a portrait of how we are to behave as people of faith even in times of incredible stress. Come, Holy Spirit.

© Glenda Canfield, April 2020.

11 Seabolt, Camilla. The Acts of the Apostles: Volume 2: Lessons 16-30. © 2009 by Community Bible Study, Colorado Springs, CO, pp 150. 12 Hubbard, Jennifer. “The Annunciation of the Lord,” in Magnificat, March 2020, Vol 21, No 13, pp 351.