spiritual battle, Message of Encouragement (Acts 27)

While Paul was still a prisoner and was being transported via ship to Italy, at one point he had offered the pilot and the captain advice that they should not go any further.  Obviously, seasoned sailors would have had a very difficult time taking sailing advice from an ex-Pharisee (slash) now traveling preacher (slash) tent-maker (slash) prisoner (although a very kind prisoner)...

(Acts 27:1-20)  When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius. 2 And embarking in an Adramyttian ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica. 3 The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. 4 From there we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were contrary. 5 When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. 7 When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Cnidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete, off Salmone; 8 and with difficulty sailing past it we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.

9 When considerable time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous, since even the fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them, 10 and said to them, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. 12 Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

13 When a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete, close inshore.

14 But before very long there rushed down from the land a violent wind, called Euraquilo; 15 and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along. 16 Running under the shelter of a small island called Clauda, we were scarcely able to get the ship’s boat under control. 17 After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in under-girding the ship; and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Syrtis, they let down the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along.18 The next day as we were being violently storm-tossed, they began to jettison the cargo; 19 and on the third day they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small storm was assailing us, from then on all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.

When things started to go terribly wrong, Paul offered not only further advice but some encouragement.

We don't know if an angel had brought Paul that first warning, or if the angel had stuck around to give advice for the rest of the journey, but the second time Paul gave advice, he mentioned that an angel had been sent to give him a message from God.

But the pilot and captain still didn't want to listen...

(Acts 27:21-38)  When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, “Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss. 22 Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. 26 But we must run aground on a certain island.”

27 But when the fourteenth night came, as we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors began to surmise that they were approaching some land. 28 They took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and a little farther on they took another sounding and found it to be fifteen fathoms. 29 Fearing that we might run aground somewhere on the rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and wished for daybreak. 30 But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down the ship’s boat into the sea, on the pretense of intending to lay out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away.

33 Until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.” 35 Having said this, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. 36 All of them were encouraged and they themselves also took food. 37 All of us in the ship were two hundred and seventy-six persons. 38 When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing out the wheat into the sea.

When they finally ran adrift, the soldiers wanted to kill all of the prisoners before leaving the ship.  But because God had promised that no one was going to die, God made sure that His promise was carried out somehow.  Perhaps the angel or angels were present to protect Paul and the rest of the prisoners...

(Acts 27:39-44)  When day came, they could not recognize the land; but they did observe a bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could. 40 And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders; and hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach. 41 But striking a reef where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the force of the waves. 42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; 43 but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land.

From this we see:
- an angel brought a message of encouragement from God to Paul (Acts 27:23)
- the angel's message from God told Paul what would be happening eventually (Acts 27:24)

Personal experience:  the ocean is nothing to mess with.  I learned that (a few times) while living in Puerto Rico.

Almost every Saturday, I would go to the Condado Beach to body surf.  I knew exactly which part of the beach to stick to where the waves were perfect, but it was still far enough away from where the surfboards would ride because there they had the bigger waves.

One day, I caught a wave which I thought was a good one, but it started to curl.  Knowing that it would crush me to the ocean floor if I continued riding it - I quickly turned around to dive under and through the wave.  But as I did that, I was hit in the head by at least one surfboard (which had gotten loose from its rider).  There could have been another surfboard because I remember being hit twice, one on either side of my head.  (Although it could have been the same surfboard being spun around.)

I started to black out.  And as I went down, and was limply being tumbled about by the pressures of wave, I vaguely thought, "Okay, this is it.  It's time to leave this earth!"  But when the waters started to recede, and I was finally freed from the force of the wave, I managed to get up and stagger for shore.

Oddly enough, I had no bruises.  No pain.  No headache.  I was fine, except that I felt very shaken, so I headed for home.  The next day, it was in the news that a girl had died at Condado Beach on the same Saturday.  She had been hit in the head with a surfboard and then drowned.

So weird.  I felt bad for that girl and her family.  At the same time, I thought about how close I had been to death and wondered at the reasons for me still being alive.

Today's takeaway:  God had taken Stephen early on in his ministry, while allowing Paul to continue on in his ministry.

Obviously God has His reasons.  We have to realize and trust that, not only is God loving and patient, but He is also fair and just.  If there is a reason for us to remain on earth, God will see to it that we are kept from death.  And however long we have on earth, we need to make the most of our time...

(Jeremiah 29:11)  For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-14)  There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—

2 A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
5 A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
6 A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.

9 What profit is there to the worker from that in which he toils? 10 I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

11 He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end.

12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; 13 moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will remain forever; there is nothing to add to it and there is nothing to take from it, for God has so worked that men should fear Him.

(James 4:13-15)  Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”