Acts 27:4-25 Bible Teaching

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If you haven’t been with us we have deconstructed these gatherings down to the essentials:

We begin with prayer
Sing the Word of God set to music (as a means to get it into our heads) and then we sit for a moment in silence here at the Church/Studio.

When we come back we pick up where we left off last week in our verse by verse study.

Alright, we get into a bit of a travelogue here – of which I am not much of a fan – and as a result we are going to push through it at a solid pace.

We left off with Paul’s assigned guard allowing him to refresh himself with friends at Sidon.

Verse 4

Acts 27.4–25
October 1st 2017
Milk

4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.
7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;
8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.
11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.
12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.
13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.
14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.
15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive.
16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:
17 Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.
22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship.
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,
24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.
26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

Okay, back to verse 4

Acts 27:4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.

By sailing “under Cyprus” what is meant is they sailed along its coasts and perhaps they kept near to it as a means to reduce the impact of the violent winds that were working contrary to their desired plan.

So instead of steering a direct course in the open sea, which would have exposed them to violent opposing winds, they kept near this large island, so that it was between them and the westerly winds.

Looking at a map we would see that they went between Cyprus and Asia Minor, with Cyprus to the left. Had it not been for the strong western winds they would have left it on the right.

5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia (the sea that lies of the coast of these two regions), we came to Myra, a city of Lycia.
6 And there the centurion (who was overseeing the transportation of Paul to Rome and whose name was Julius) found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein.

A ship of Alexandria was a ship belonging to Alexandria which was in Egypt and founded by Alexander the Great.

According to verse 38 of this chapter it was loaded with food, in all probability wheat as great quantities of wheat were shipped in that time from Egypt to Rome.

Perhaps the ship was on the coast of Asia Minor due to the strong winds.

7 And when we had sailed slowly many days (because of this strong opposing wind), and scarce were come over against Cnidus (had barely made it to Cnidus), the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone;

“Over against Salmone” or near to Salmone, which was the name of a promontory point which stuck out on the eastern extremity of the island of Crete.

8 And, hardly passing it (barely making it around it without being destroyed we), came unto a place which is called, “The fair havens,” nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.

The fair havens was on the south-eastern part of the island of Crete. It was also known as the fair shore which means that it was probably not so much a harbor as a kind of opened bay that offered protection and a place to anchor.

I don’t know how many of you have ever been at sea when a storm hits and then having to battle that storm tossed sea and rain and wind in order to get into safe harbor but it is an experience everyone should have in life at least just one.

The rest afforded by a safe harbor from the buffetings of the storm is one of the most appreciated things on earth when you enter into it. (Verse 9)

9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,
10 And said unto them, “Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

Apparently, these men had spent no small amount of time battling the elements – so much so that it delayed them and their hopes of reaching Italy before the seaon made sea travel dangerous.

Luke says it this way – that the season of dangerous sea travel would have been after the fast, which most scholars suggest was held on the great day of atonement which was always celebrated on the tenth day of the seventh month, which would answer to the latter end of our September, which was about the time of the autumnal equinox when the Mediterranean Sea became really rough for travel.

In other words, sailing after this feast was known among the Jews to be proverbially dangerous and the delays they experienced placed them right in this window.

Knowing this Paul, the prisoner, stepped up and said:

“Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.”

We note that Paul does not say that the Lord told him anything but only that it was his perception of the situation, something Paul would have had having done some traveling by ship in the past.

Interestingly enough his words are pretty on point as he specifically says that if they proceed the lading of the ship and the very lives of the people on it was in danger.

11 Nevertheless the centurion (Julius) believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

The master (or the captain or pilot of the ship, anciently, was the person who also occupied the helm and he therefore guided the ship while also giving directions to the crew. In this case he was either also the owner of the ship or Luke is saying that the master and the owner (a separate person) had differing opinions of the situation.

It could have been that they would have made more money if they had arrived in Rome on time with the wheat and prisoners so this was what motivated the master and/or owner. (verse 12 is a mouthful in the King James as it says)

12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in (in other words, Fair Haven was a poor choice to remain for winter which lends to the idea that it was more of a bay than an official harbor), the more part (of the crew) advised to depart thence also (joined their voices to that of the Master and/or owner), if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is a haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.”

Obviously Phenice, which was a port or harbour on the south side of Crete (west of the fair havens) was a more convenient harbor and considered by the majority as more accommodating to winter in. (verse 13)

13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

When conditions changed, and the wind shifted and became more gentle and accommodation (temporarily) they decided to make a run for it and sailed along the coastline once again.

14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

The phrase “a tempestuous wind” in the Greek is toofoneekas and means smoky.

For the air around the sea to appear smoky due to a storm we know that it was really churning things up.

In fact, this wind actually had a proper name, called “Euro-clydon.”

Now, a couple things about this term – it is only used here in all of the Bible. It’s Greek equivalents (being a compound word – it is believed) are

YOOROCK – which is wind
And KLUDON – which is wave.

I might suggest we have another term for Yoo-Rock-KLoo-don today.

It’s Hurricane. But in the Mediterranean there is another storm type that has its own modern name – Levanter – which is a wind that blows primarily from the eastern part of Mediterranean of the same name. Luke adds:

15 And when the ship was caught (in the storm), and could not bear up into the wind, (they could not manage it from the helm) we let her drive (we let the wind and waves take hold of it and do with it as it would).

(beat)

Having an affinity to parallels in nature and stories to the human experience I cannot help but be moved by this passage. It serves as a basis for something that I do not understand about the human condition and one of the few things that keeps me up at night – that is when it comes to human beings, individuals, “why?”

Why do some live lives of relative peace, accomplishment, and with what appears to be some modicum of controllability while others appear to be caught in the storms and ultimately subject to being driven wherever the waves and winds demand?

And while exceptions never make a good rule, exceptions do go a long way to proving that there are very, very few certainties we can rely upon in the human experience.

Oh we try. We keep the fantasy alive by telling each other that if we do this, and if we do that, we will achieve or avoid certain things.

This is NOT always the case.

Behind you all at the back is an acrylic etching of a woman who ate healthy foods all of her life, stayed physically active, and did not abuse substances – and died a few months ago from an uncontrollable cancer.

When I interviewed her I asked her if she ever got bitter or angry with God and she said, “no, but when I see someone at the market who has a cart full of junk food and obviously doesn’t care about themselves, I wonder why me and not them?”

It’s an honest question. So where we often reap what we sow in this life there are countless examples where this is just not so. And as a result, there is no real certainty for anything on earth.

Some trust in riches and portfolios.

Mary and I have been watching a show about notorious drug cartel leader Pablo Escobar – who at one time was making more money personally than General Motors as a whole.

Billions of dollars – he was the fifth most wealthy man on earth.

He died broke. There is No actual certainty on this earth or in this life, except uncertainty.

I think God knew the tenuous nature of human existence and I believe this is why He has given us His only begotten Son who could and would be the only lasting solution available to the human race.

I know, we think we can be certain of safety. Of health. Of relationships. That taking preventative measures will ensure results. But It’s just not so. There are truly no guarantees for human beings – not in outcomes, rewards, success, failure, health, wealth, or personal security.

What fascinates me are those souls who due to whatever event in their lives, become utterly driven by the storm.

I’ve known and know them. I see them from the safety of our loft downtown.

Is it God? Is it something else? Nature, Nurture, Nature and Nuture? Fate? Destiny? Or is it their own damn fault – a favorite attitude among the religious.

Writing this I paused and asked God:

I wanna understand schizophrenia.
I wanna understand homosexuality.
I wanna understand alcoholics.
I wanna understand imbedded perversions.

Sure we all know very well the religious answers. But they do not take into account all the exceptions to the rule – though we may conveniently try to get them to.

I mean . . .

What caused Jefferey Dahmer as a child to torture animals and hide in the bushes as a ten year old with a hammer ready to attack a jogger who was saved (without her knowledge of any danger) by a passing car who knew happened to know her?

I read the book written by his father where he tried to understand his son, his contributions to making him what he became, his nature.

And why weren’t his dozens of other victims not given a similar out from a passing friend – or were they?

I cannot understand, for the life of me, how to reasonably reply to babes drowning, people born insane, or the lot of an innocent soul shot and paralyzed, who addicted to pain meds, winds up on the street.

I’ve met that man. And the whole time he lied and manipulated me I was asking God, “Why him?” “What did he do wrong? And why not me?”

Recently we’ve had some engagement with a man named Joey Scoma a former Mormon who believed himself to be the reincarnated Joseph Smith.

I love Joey – he is a gentle, kind, unusual soul. And he was recently overwhelmed with a revelation a few months back.

He and others believed it was genuine and aside from being startling it was all based on the coming apocalyptic day of September 23rd (or a week ago Saturday).

Well, the 23rd came and went uneventfully and on Monday morning Joey texted me unsolicited and said (and I quote):

“Well, the day of destiny came and went and now I have much crow-stuffed humble pie to eat. No visitation. No plates (he was to receive the sealed portion of the Golden plates) no sword of Laban, and on top of it all our families baby alpaca that was only recently born after a year gestation passed away yesterday. It almost feels like a punishment for me and my prophetic hubris.”

In all probability Joey, unable to fight the storm like so many others like him – perhaps like all of us – will do like the crew of Paul’s ship, and just shrug his shoulders and let his life’s ship “be driven by the wind and waves.”

Astutely, our brother Warren observed that “it is such a fragile existence for the mighty and the weak.”

Such true words.
To me, it seems that God was fully aware of this fact, and for this reason, loving us so much as we are, as susceptible as we all are, He

Gave us His only begotten Son – to look to, call to, stand upon and guide us.

I used to look for ways to blame. I used to place the condition of everyone’s lives squarely on their shoulders.

This was the result of religion – hard core religion. I do maintain that we all, to some extent, free to choose, but our ability to make decisions are often affected by tremendous mitigating factors.

And perhaps it is our very weaknesses, our drown babes, our broken minds and hearts and lives and sins that move all of us – to Him, for true shelter in the storm.

This is my personal conclusion – God created us and boy did we as a whole present Him with a bunch of issues forged on the anvil of freewill.

But He loved us so much He gave His only Human Son to live as we would and could not, so as to save us IN our sin, in our broken sorrows, in our desperate moments.

In fact – and this is the wonderful, amazing mystery to all of this – having forgiven us of all sin by and through His Son, He then USES these dire situations to keep us humbly at His feet?

We are constantly seeking to make Jesus offering the solution to fixing and even stopping our sorrows and our sins.

I’m not so sure that is always God’s intention in giving us His Son.

Let me explain.

In Psalm 34:18-19 says

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”

Mallory set these passages to music for us. Now think about them.

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a . . . broken heart; and saveth such as be of a . . . contrite spirit. “

What better breaks the heart of a believer, what better keeps His own in the position of possessing a contrite spirit, then the presence of weakness?

I mean, if a person is healthy, wealthy, secure, strong in his or her moral convictions, able to work through all problems on his or her own, and rarely makes any errors, rarely fails, what would ever lead them to having a broken heart or a contrite spirit before God?

I would go so far as to suggest that it is our vile natures, our sin driven bodies, our sorrows and disappointments in life that help keep each of us before Him with broken hearts of contrition!

So while religion is doing everything it can to punish people for sin, and attempts to reform every life to one of Sainthood, it seems to me that it is the of worst sinners love God most, and the weakest who understand His strength and power most.

Jesus made this clear in the Gospel of Luke.

We read at Luke 7:36-48 And one of the Pharisees (someone certainly established in their own strength and righteousness) desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat.
37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? (Who was a sinner) I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she (the sinner) hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman (a sinner) since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman (a sinner) hath anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

Perhaps we have it ALLL wrong. Perhaps it is those whose lives are so messed up, so powerless that they have let go of all control and have allowed the wind and waves to take over who are actually the MOST contrite and have the MOST broken hearts – and those of us who have gotten our lives so ordered and put together wind up . . . loving little?

I mean, if we really think about it, ardent religious practices aimed at perfecting people in the flesh actually work to keep us FROM where scripture tells us God wants us to be.

Hmmmmmmmm.

Before getting back to Paul and the ship driven by the waves and wind, I think we cannot let this point go until we look at Paul himself.

Listen carefully to all of his own words as he says in

2nd Corinthians 12:7-8 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:

How is this so? Jesus took care of all the ramifications of sin and the fall – all disease, all death, all defects, all predilections, all evil, all sin – all of it. And because of Him God’s grace is sufficient for all of human kind.

And then God presents us with a New Testament Principle that we cannot forget in:

. . . for my strength . . . is made perfect . . . in weakness. (And so Paul adds the following): “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

The word translated weakness here is asthenia and in scripture it is used to describe – listen

Feebleness of mind or body
A malady of body mind or morality.
A character flaw
the presence of disease, infirmity, sickness, weakness.

In such things God’s strength is made PERFECT!

And I would add that in the presence of such things we who seek and love Him are simultaneously made of humble broken hearts and of contrite spirits – which God loves.

Remember the second verse of the Psalm, my friends, as the first verse says:

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a . . . broken heart; and saveth such as be of a . . . contrite spirit. “ (READY)
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”

The direct meaning of this is that those who are considered righteous to God have MANY afflictions. We have them, we are in them, they are a reality BUT “the Lord delivers us OUT of them all.”

“BUT . . . His strength is MADE PERFECT in the presence of our weaknesses.”

Out in the storm tossed sea the men could not control the ship any longer through their strength.

They had to just let her do where she would go under the power of the wind and waves – a position of total reliance upon the creator to deliver them. (verse 16 takes us into some description of how bad things got for them)

16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:

And running under – or being driven near an island called Clauda, (a small island southwest of Crete) “we had much work to come by the boat.”

Now there are a number of interpretations on this verse but I think the best is NOT that they had a bunch of work or jobs to do on the craft but that there was a smaller boat or skiff being pulled buy the ship that they had to secure and this was no easy task.

Speaking of this smaller vessel Luke adds

17 Which when they had taken up (when they got it up on the ship), they used helps (ropes or cables or stays or chains), undergirding the ship (they either undergirded the ship or skiff with these ropes OR they used the ropes that were undergirding the ship to secure the skiff); and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

There were two celebrated areas of quicksands on the coast of Africa, called the greater and lesser.

This was not quicksand as we think of quicksand but were more like shifting sand bars that would strand unprepared ships if they weren’t careful of them.

As a means to reduce the tensions on the ship amidst the wind and waves it appears that at this point they fully gave up all control by cutting the sails down or off, thereby reducing the effect the wind would have on its speed but simultaneously allowing the power of the waves to direct them.

This is one heck of a storm and situation. And it got worse (verse 18)

18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;

And worse (verse 19)

19 And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.

The tackling of the ship would have been the ropes, cables, sails, baggage – anything that would weigh her down and increase the tension on the construction.

20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

Neither sun nor stars, etc. As they could see neither sun nor stars, they could make no observations; and as they had no compass, they would be totally ignorant of their situation, and gave up all is lost.

This story is a tremendous type for us.

To a seafarer the sun and stars – heavenly bodies – are especially important to navigation.

So were sails, and helms, and calm weather, and ropes.

Everything had been stripped away from them and they were left in the terrifying hands of the storm – and the will of God.

Like Job, “no small tempest had laid upon them,” causing Luke to add:

“And all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.”

I would add that God had every single soul on that ship exactly where He wanted them.

We see what happens next . . . next week.

Q and A
Prayer

Wedding immediately afterward.