Dwell in the Word: Acts 27:1-44

Think on these questions as you dwell in Acts 27:1-44:

1. In the midst of a perilous situation, Paul gives thanks and breaks bread, trusting in God's promise that everyone on the ship will be saved. How can believers cultivate a similar attitude of gratitude and trust in God's promises, especially in challenging circumstances?

2. Paul's assurance in God's promise extends beyond personal safety; it includes a conviction that he will stand before Caesar to proclaim the gospel. How does this example inspire Christians today to trust in God's overarching plan for their lives, even when facing uncertainty or difficulty?

3. The centurion's decision to spare the prisoners aligns with God's promise to keep everyone safe. In what ways can believers recognize and appreciate God's providential care in their lives, even when facing obstacles or threats? How can this awareness impact their witness and trust in God's plans for them?

Transcript:

 Well, there are some words in there that are difficult to say. I think I would rather read a genealogy of Old Testament names than read through some of those place names. But what is going on in this story is that Paul is headed to stand before Caesar and there are all kinds of circumstances going against this ship, right?

Uh, most importantly, the weather is not good, they should not be out, it's time to winter, but they don't listen to Paul, they head out on an ill-advised trip.  But Paul has an assurance, because God speaks to him, that they are going to make it, that everyone is going to survive. The boat won't. But the people are going to survive.

Well, what happens here is that Paul is seeing that they're without food as we get to verse 33 and he says, You know, you'd be better off if you ate and so he gave thanks to God and he broke the bread and he ate it and everybody was encouraged. Now, this is a wonderful sign of faith by Paul here. You know, he believes the word that God gave to him, but He gives thanks.

He's giving thanks for something that has not happened yet, right? He gives thanks for the bread as well. But he's giving thanks that God is going to save them even though it has not happened yet. He's looking towards the future and having a hope that they, all these people, will be saved. And they were all encouraged.

All 276 of them. Now, we have to take a second and imagine what this looks like. That's a lot of people.  Um, they're all on this ship. Paul is on this ship. Things are not good. Imagine the opportunity that Paul has given through these circumstances to proclaim the gospel to them. Uh, the opportunity that he has, to share the good news and to show them his heart for them, his heart for the gospel and his, his Thanksgiving to God in this eating of food and his trust.

That he will be saved. This isn't just some delusional guy saying an angel appeared to me and he says we're going to be saved so everything's going to be okay. This is Paul who is giving a complete trust in what he has seen and heard. And he can tell stories to these people of how God has blessed him and saved him in the past, right?

And what is the clear thing that we see here? It says it right in the text, that God has a plan for him to stand before Caesar, that he will go all the way to Rome and proclaim the gospel to the, basically the highest court, right? That the person who has the most sway in the empire is going to hear what he has to say.

And so, we see that there is a shipwreck. Uh, remember what Paul said, they, they are, the people are going to survive, but the boat, the other stuff might not.  So, they run aground and what's going to happen here is that the soldiers are going to kill all the prisoners.  Now remember, there was that threat that we saw in the past that if you allow a prisoner to escape, your life is forfeit.

And so, these soldiers aren't just being barbaric here, they're concerned for their own lives. But what did Paul say? Paul said that none of you are going to lose your lives. He didn't say, oh, you soldiers who might be nice to me, or you people who are at the top of the food chain, I guess. Um, that you will be spared.

No, he said that everyone was going to be spared. And so, look how God ordains this. The centurion wants to save Paul. Paul is a prisoner. And so, the centurion, the guy who's in charge, keeps them from carrying out this plan. They can't kill the prisoners. God is keeping Paul safe. And so, what happens, we read that he ordered those who could swim to jump overboard, make for the land, the rest, you know, planks and, and ships, and look at this last sentence.

And so it was that all were brought safely to the land.  What happened? What God promised he brought to pass. And so, we look to God's word, the clear promise that we have. We have a clear promise that we will be brought safely in Christ. We have no promise of an abundant, financially speaking, life.

We have a promise of abundant life, but we don't have a promise that we will be well off financially, that we'll always have good health, that we'll never suffer. We have a promise that we will be brought safely home with Christ.  And we need to be like Paul and trust that promise. Because God has a purpose for us, and that purpose is to bring glory to him.

It's to proclaim his gospel, and so we trust. That God will bring us safely to where He will have us be, and He will be glorified in it.