“Take Heart (Acts 27:21-28:31;29)” | 9/4/22
Acts 27:21-28:31;29 | 9/4/22 | Thad Yessa
Jesus prepares his disciples to send them on a mission. God’s word increases, and the kingdom of God advances.
So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. Acts 2:41
And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:47
And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3:10
And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. Acts 5:42
And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 6:7
So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. Acts 9:31
But the word of God increased and multiplied. Acts 12:24
And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. Acts 13:48
So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. Acts 16:5
But all along the way, there were hardship, trials, persecutions, and imprisonment.
Part of the reason this matters is that West Hills is here today because the Word of God increased and multiplied. We sit here today because of men and women in the book of Acts were faithful to do what God called them to. And the work that began in the book of Acts continues today, and still we see hardships, difficulties, and toils but also much joy wonder, and amazement.
Because the Church belongs to Jesus it means that we can take heart in the storms, shipwrecks, and standstills of life.
21 Since they had been without food for a long time, 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. 22 Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, 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.”
27 When the fourteenth night had come, 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. 29 And fearing that we might run on the rocks, they let down four anchors from the stern and prayed for day to come. 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.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it go.
33 As 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.” 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.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.
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We can take heart in the **STORMS. (27:21-37)
What does it mean to be in a storm and how could Paul be so calm.
For Paul this is a literal storms with wind, and waves. For Paul, he finds himself in a lot of ways completely out of control. Paul as we have journeyed through the book of Acts was very familiar with traveling long distance, probably had more sailing experience than most of the crew, warned them not to depart for fear of a storm coming. Yet, Paul still went willingly and without control over his circumstances. The storm was so bad, the sun and stars weren’t seen for days, and the cargo is being thrown overboard. There is probably this certain level of fear and fatigue that most of us have probably never experienced, the sailors are so fearful they aren’t eating and that is only further playing into their own fatigue.
Paul stands up, and first gives his, I told you so, “Men, you should have listened to me” BUT says in 22-23 take heart, don’t be afraid for the God I worship said it’s going to be ok. Jumping head to verse 44 “And so it was that all were brought safely to land.”
Remembers Paul’s is on his way to Rome where, he recongnizes that he is most likely on his way to death. Now, God could have used any path to get Paul to Rome, but Paul gets sent on a boat ride that almost kills him and 276 people. What do we make of a God who sends us through storms to get us to the place that He is sending us?
We could choose to see God as cruel and mean to allow such storms to happen, or we can see that God keeps His promises even in the storms. Is a storm too much for God to handle? Well no, because God ordains the storms. With storms come the opportunity to see God at work, and to see God’s characters: we see a God of power, but also a God of compassion and care.
Storms remind us that we are not in control, praise God. Because really bad things happen when we are in control. Storms remind us that we are not self sufficient after all. You don’t feel cocky when you are being tossed by a storm. A storm reminds us that we live in a fallen world that Christ entered into the storm of. It probably could have been easy for Paul to ask, where are you God?
When the storms of life are swirling around and we wonder what good can come out of it? But what we will see for Paul, is that God had purposed for the the ship to end up on a particular island where God would display his power to a people who had not heard of the gospel. The storms cause the gospel to move from theoretical to actual. We don’t need a theoretical gospel. How does the gospel bear down on your life when you can’t see through the storm. Is the gospel living and breathing inside of you. So that your response is Paul’s response in a boat full of unbelievers. His response is much different than if polled everyone else in that boat.
We respond in two ways: blah blah blah blah, I know God is sovereign.
Or
I know God is sovereign.
We can actually see this play out in another stormy event in the Bible:
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:35-41
The same God who is the maker storms is the ruler of storm.
As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?”
4 These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation 6 and my God.
Psalm 42:1-5
For us storms look probably more like a unclearness of where we are going. Everything is being tossed around, the pathforward is obscured, whether job change, school change, loss of friendship, or suffering through financial hardships. When we can’t see God in the storm, we hope in what we can’t see but what our heart knows to be true. Take heart, because you belong to a God who says do not be afraid.
Acts 27 reveals that our road might be longer and harder than we imagined. Indeed, we might even question the will of God and why he has brought us on such a perilous journey. But we can, and must, trust in God. His will is perfect, and he calls us to rest in his plans.
We can take heart in the **SHIPWRECKS. (27:39-28:10)
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.40 So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that tied the rudders. Then hoisting the foresail to the wind 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. 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.
After we were brought safely through, we then learned that the island was called Malta. 2 The native people showed us unusual kindness, 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.” 5 He, however, 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.
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.
God surprises Paul and the crew, by not only saving them but showing up in a place where they experienced unusual kindness. They show up on Malta and would have never been able to experience this had not God intervened.
Two miracles happen:
completely unharmed by a viper
Paul, right away begins to care about the physical needs of everyone else around him, by gathering sticks for the fire. (Opportunity for the gospel)
Healed a the father of Publius.
God provided them with safe harbor, and in safe harbor Paul was able to provide healing physically and spiritually. Paul takes every opportunity to point people towards Jesus and advance the kingdom of God. Paul literally in a shipwreck instead of focusing on the physical situation saw it as an opportunity to point others towards a greater hope. Everywhere God sends Paul, his heart is focused.
A shipwreck for us is when we end up in a place that we didn’t mean to be in. We look around and ask how are we going to pick up the pieces.
We could look at our lives and ask I have no idea how I got here. I feel as though I have experienced such loss, wreckage, and dead ends. Yet the God who sends you through the storms, settles you on the shore. Until we understand that the shipwreck places are where God’s grace becomes sufficient for us. It is much better to be shipwrecked by God than be relient on our self sufficiency.
With my voice I cry out to the Lord;
with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
2 I pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.
3 When my spirit faints within me,
you know my way!
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
4 Look to the right and see:
there is none who takes notice of me;
no refuge remains to me;
no one cares for my soul.
5 I cry to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
6 Attend to my cry,
for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me!
7 Bring me out of prison,
that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
for you will deal bountifully with me.
Psalm 142
Even in the shipwrecks of our lives we are surround by the security of Christ. Because God has unusual kindness for you and me today.
We can take heart in the **STANDSTILLS.
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. 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 brother ]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. 16 And when we came into Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who guarded him.
17 After three days he called together the local leaders of the Jews, and when they had gathered, he said to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our fathers, yet I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 When they had examined me, they wished to set me at liberty, because there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. 19 But because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar—though I had no charge to bring against my nation. 20 For this reason, therefore, I have asked to see you and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” 21 And they said to him, “We have received no letters from Judea about you, and none of the brothers coming here has reported or spoken any evil about you. 22 But we desire to hear from you what your views are, for with regard to this sect we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”
23 When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets. 24 And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. 25 And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet:
26
“‘Go to this people, and say,
“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
27
For this people's heart has grown dull,
and with their ears they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed;
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’
28 Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”
30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
Here we find Paul underhouse arrest and interacting with the Jewish leaders who apparently had not heard about his coming. Showing that church communication hasn’t improved in the last 2,000 years.
But Paul does what Paul faithfully does, he preaches Jesus. He spends his time waiting patiently and preaching passionately. Paul finds himself in a place where he is confined. There is seemingly no path forward, as he arrives in a place, that has decided to put him in house arrest and perhaps has no plan for how to deal with him. He first passionately seeks to persuade his Jewish audience.
Paul it says, “lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
In the forced standstill, sees it as an opportunity for gospel procalamation. He lives at his own expense so that he can invite people into his home and taught Christ, without hindrance. I don’t know if this without hindrance is because the Romans didn’t view the gospel as a threat or an emphatic reminder that the gospel will continue to spread regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in.
For us sometimes the hardest place is where life comes to a standstill, and our life seems to make zero difference for any body. You feel unappreciated, ignored, and going through the motions. You have shared the gospel over and over and over again, and it seems to make little difference in your loved ones life.
We struggle in the standstill with our lack of control. God doesn’t go missing in the mundane. Paul viewed this standstill moment as a God ordained opporutnity
If the book of Acts teaches us one thing, it’s that God builds his kingdom with fragile people who he faithful holds fast and secures. But even in the storms, shipwrecks, and standstill, Jesus never changes.
Jesus died so take heart
Jesus has risen take heart
Jesus is intercedding take heart
The heart of God that sent Jesus to die for you is caring for you. The Word of God is not bound in circumstances, because God is not hindered.
“For which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 2 Tim. 2:9”
Luke’s conclusion of Acts brings the book to a climactic end, leaving us exactly where the Holy Spirit wants us—ready for the next chapter. That chapter continues to be written today. The gospel still advances to the ends of the earth, and God has called all his people to live as protagonists in this glorious chapter. Luke ends his narrative with an implied question: Peter preached the kingdom in Jerusalem; Philip proclaimed Christ in Samaria; Paul announced Christ around the Roman Empire. Where will you go?
How do we fulfill Jesus’ mission as He lays out for us in Matthew 28 that we recite every week in our benediction:
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20
To be honest, it could look different for every person:
For those of you who are parents of children who have not yet believed the gospel; that is your mission field.
For those of you who hear statistics of those who live in the 1040 window who are living and dying without even hearing the gospel, and it breaks your heart, pray, find missionaries who are serving there, and support them.
For those of you who have someone in your life that is unsaved, and you haven’t shared the gospel with them yet, pray for courage and commit to sharing the gospel with them.
For those of you who don’t have an idea of what it might look like for you personally to take part in this mission from Jesus; pray and ask the Spirit to guide you to be wise with your time, talents, and treasure and how they might be used to further Jesus, kingdom.
For those of you who feel unequipped, ask for help.
For those of you who feel discouraged, take heart.
Perhaps for you, it looks like asking what I am passionate about and what skills I have and finding a way to pair those two things together.
And Church, my fellow missionaries, take heart because this is Jesus’ Church and Jesus’ mission, and He has promised that His gospel will be unhindered.