Anchors that Hold Firm in the Storm Acts 27:1-44
Introduction & Background — Acts 1:8; Acts 23:10, 11
Paul’s journey for Rome gets ______. — Acts 27:1-6; Rom. 12:5
Paul’s journey for Rome gets ______. — Acts 27:7-10; 2 Cor. 22:22, 23
Paul’s counsel gets ______. — Acts 27:11
Paul’s vessel encounters a violent ______. — Acts 27:14-18, 20
Paul’s vessel suffers a ______. — Acts 27:27-44
Four Anchors that Hold Firm in the Storms:
1. The anchor of ______God’s ______— Acts 27:21-24; Isa. 41:10; Matt. 28:20
2. The anchor of ______in God’s ______— Acts 27:25
3. The anchor of ______we are God’s ______— Acts 27:23; 1 Jn. 3:1
4. The anchor of ______on God’s ______— Acts 27:44; Lk. 1:37; Jer. 32:17; Eph. 3:20
Conclusion For Further Study
1. Before beginning your study of Acts 27, confess any known sins (1 Jn. 1:9) and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and guide you into all truth (Jn. 16:13). Then read Acts 27 slowly and thoughtfully in at least two translations. As you read and reread, record any words or phrases that are meaningful to you. What do you think is the key message of this chapter? Why do you think God included this chapter in the Bible? What’s the point?
2. One of the big ideas from Acts 27 is that God is faithful to allow us to witness for Him when we trust Him through the storms. Have you found this to be true in your own life? Why or why not?
3. Find a good ancient map and trace Paul’s journey from Caesarea to the shipwreck at Malta as recorded in Acts 27. What was obvious to Paul? Why would the owner and the ship captain object?
4. Go back and read Acts 20:24 aloud. From this verse, what kind of underlying conviction seems to characterize Paul’s life? In what specific ways do you see Paul’s convictions being lived out in Acts 27? In what ways are you personally challenged or inspired by this statement and Paul’s example? Be specific as you think about your own life circumstances and desire to be used by God.
5. Verses 14-29 describe the sudden onslaught of the storm, the steadily deteriorating conditions, and the complete loss of hope of those on board. How does Paul’s demeanor during this time differ from the rest of the crew on the ship? What was it about Paul that made him a leader among men, even in matters pertaining to sailing and storms? What kind of leadership did Paul exercise, and how did this impact the gospel? How many people were on the ship? How many survived the shipwreck? (See Acts 27:24, 25, 44.)
6. Read Acts 19:21; Acts 23:11; Acts 20:24; Rom. 1:11-15; and Acts 27:23, 24. What important truth is presented in these verses, and how did it impact Paul’s ability to remain confident in the midst of the storm? What important lesson or application can we derive from Paul’s example?
7. Review each of the “anchors” that we studied in Acts 27. In view of what you have seen and read, what changes do you think God would want you to make in attitude, words, or actions? When responding to future storms and trials in your life, what is one change you hope to see as a result of your study in Acts 27?