Recap:
It's been 2 years since Acts 23:11
Paul had been arrested in the temple, testified before the Sanhedrin, the mob, Felix (Roman governor) and Priscilla, Centurions and soldiers, Festus (replaced Felix), King Herod & his sister Bernice. In all these instances, God's message was shared - through his own testimony woven in with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
#1. God works in transitional times. He used prison time (2 years) to get His message out. God told him he would share the gospel in Rome. Paul waited two years for that to happen.
Examples: Matt. 10:18 - Jesus to disciples before Paul even in the picture.
A. Don't spend so much time looking ahead that you miss God's call right in front of you. B. Don't idolize the future ie: when this or that happens, then we'll be ready. We can miss out what God is putting right in front of us. The future turns into the present and the present is never perfect.
C. Bloom where you are planted until He moves you.
Acts 27:1-3 - Centurions of the Bible:
a) Julius - kind, listens later, saves Paul's life
b) of Capernaum - asks for Jesus to heal servant - Jesus marvels at his faith - more than elsewhere in Israel
c) of Caeserea - who feared God - 1st. Gentile convert, baptized with Holy Spirit
Question: Why do storms come? - (really tough times.)
Answer: 1) we live in fallen world
2) God redirecting, testing - Job; blind man
3) our own sin
4) someone else's sin - ex. Joseph
God can work in and through all these things.
Acts 27:4-12 - ESV study note: they were already off course. Things were getting worse.
2. Seek God in your decision making
Adrian Rogers' 3 rules to sink your ship.
1) Make your decision in haste - Prov. 19:2, Rom. 12:12, fruit of the spirit (patience), Gal. 6:9
2) Depend on worldly wisdom. - bad advice is everywhere. What voices are you listening to.
Can really get some bad advice from all kinds of places.
Paul's credentials as to why should listen to him: 2 Cor. 11:25-27 - written from Macedonia before this
shipwreck. Prov. 1:7, Prov. 24:6
3) Just follow the crowd. - James 4:4 - problem with the world (crowd) they are often wrong!
examples: Shadrach, Meschach, Abendigo, Daniel - went against the crowd - 1 Pet. 2:9
Atheist morality built on man's ideas and philosophies
If you are a Christian and build your life on the teachings of Christ, your life will look different!! And that's OK.
Acts 27:13-26.
3. God's Word is our compass (should be) We as Christians always have a way to know which way to go.
Psm. 119:105, 2 Cor. 5:7
4. It's OK to say "I told you so." When the whole world is going crazy, we should look different and tell others why this stuff is happening.
Acts 27:27-32
5. Faithfulness leads to influence.
example: Joshua, Centurion here
Matt. 7:24-27 - man who built on the rock. Faithfulness makes people notice. We should be living in such a way that says not terrified by what's happening.
Acts 27:33-44
6. God keeps His word. - Prov. 30:5
7. God takes care of His own.
Doesn't mean that hard times won't come, death won't come, but through it all, God takes care of His children. Always cares for His own. Psm. 46:1, Rom. 8:28
God IS and always HAS been in the business of caring for His people. Even when Paul loses his life. Said for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. And for the believer, that's the truth. God works for our good and His glory. BUT, that promise is only for believers - God's people.
If you have never put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you certainly are going to run into a storm. We all will, but you certainly will. And, you are not going to have a compass, a guide, you have nothing. Will be in it alone.
If you have never trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior, you need to do that. Deal with that.
For believers, when we're going through tough times, there are truths God has given us to hold on to.
Understand this, God is working. We may not see it, may not understand it, may not ever understand it, but we can hold on to the truth that He loves us and He cares.
God does and will continue to do great things through His people in the midst of tragic times.
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