AN AMBASSADOR FOR CHRIST IN MIDST OF THE STORM

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on September 27, 2023 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group: September 27, 2023 from Acts 27:1-44

Theme: The story of Paul’s shipwreck puts his character as an ambassador for Christ on display.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

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(These notes are adapted from a home Bible study given on May 27, 2009.)

Throughout Chapters 21-26 of Acts, we’ve followed the apostle Paul’s journey from the uproar in Jerusalem to his witness at Rome. It’s been an exciting but trouble-filled journey—but it also has given us proof of the promise the Lord Jesus had made concerning him and the work to which He had called Paul. And now, as we come to Chapter 27, we find perhaps the most adventurous portion of his journey in Acts. It’s one of the most exciting passages in the Bible.

The story of Paul’s perilous travel on the high seas, and eventual shipwreck at Malta, is one that many scholars have studied carefully. In 1848, James Smith, a Scottish merchant who was also an authority on ancient shipbuilding, published a scholarly work on Paul’s shipwreck adventure.¹

In it, he demonstrated the amazing nautical accuracy of Luke’s report of the story.

But one of the most fascinating aspects of this story is in what it tells us of the character of Paul himself; and of how this trial brought out his qualities as an ambassador of Christ and witness to the gospel. As this passage shows us, the story of Paul’s shipwreck puts his character as an ambassador for Christ on clear display. And from it, we find several examples of character and conduct that we should embrace as ambassadors for Christ in our own time.

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Now; the story picks up from the end of Paul’s testimony before King Agrippa in Acts 26. After having presented his case in the Roman headquarters in Caesarea, it had been officially determined that there was nothing about Paul that would have necessitated the punishment or the execution that the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem were demanding. Agrippa’s words at the close of the chapter were, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar” (26:32). And yet, he had indeed appealed to Caesar (25:11); and in the words of governor Festus, “To Caesar you shall go!” (v. 12). Not only was all of this the result of Paul’s appeal, but it was also the fulfillment of the plan of the Lord to send His appointed apostle to Rome (23:11).

And so, it’s right away that we see one of the character qualities of Paul; that he was …

1. A SUBMITTED CITIZEN (vv. 1-3).

We should notice that the writer of this account—the physician Luke—was present for this adventure; and wrote as giving a first-hand eyewitness account. In Acts 27:1-2, Luke tell us;

And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment. So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us (Acts 27:1-2).

The journey to Rome from Caesarea—even in the best of circumstances—would have been a long one. And following the course described in this portion of Scripture would best done by looking carefully at a map (click to enlarge):

The centurion who supervised this journey is named for us as Julius. And the fact that he was named—and also that it was stated that he was of the Augustan Regiment—would indicate to us that he was a prestigious and highly respected soldier. He made the decision to embark on a ship of Adramyttium; that is, a ship from the ancient port city of Mysia in the Roman province of Asia. And also traveling along with Paul and his friends was a man named Aristarchus. He was mentioned elsewhere as a key member of Paul’s support team (19:29); and was later referred to by Paul as his “fellow prisoner” (Colossians 4:10). It would have been a comfort for Paul to have this faithful friend come along … and it would add to the ‘eyewitness’ validation of this story.

We can begin to see something of Paul’s character put on display in verse 3;

And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care (v. 3).

Paul was a prisoner, under the custody of a Roman centurion. He himself was a Roman citizen with all the rights of citizenship; with a right to be treated as a free man until proven guilty. And yet, he had behaved with such submissiveness to those who had authority over him that they gave him liberty in Sidon. He had proven himself trustworthy. He wouldn’t run off. His example reminds us that we help build a hearing for the gospel ourselves when we prove cooperative, submissive, and trustworthy in the sight of those God has placed over us.

But it was shortly thereafter that we begin to see the storm-clouds of trouble arise. Those troubles showed forth another character quality of Paul; and that was as …

2. A SENSITIVE ADVISER (vv. 4-12).

Verses 4-8 tell us why his role as an adviser would have been needed:

When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. And when we had sailed over the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy, and he put us on board. When we had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, the wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salmone. Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea (4-8).

It was hard work getting to Fair Havens on the southern coast of Crete. And ‘Fair Havens’ might have indicated that it would have indeed been a preferred place to stay; because it would be from there that the troubles would greatly intensify. The early stages of trouble, that cause Paul to speak up, show themselves as we go on to read verses 9-10;

Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives” (vv. 9-10).

Paul—who was by this point a seasoned traveler; and who had personally even seen a few disasters at sea first hand (see 2 Corinthians 11:25-26)—knew that the time of safe travel was already past. The “Fast” was a reference to the Day of Atonement; which was in mid-September or early October. Therefore Paul advised the men, who were responsible for his safe escort, that to proceed any further would result in a catastrophe. His concern was not merely for cargo and ship, but also for the lives of others who were traveling. Verses 11-12 tell us;

Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there (vv. 11-12).

Ignoring Paul’s warning would prove to have been a bad decision. But note, in all of this, the growing influence that Paul had. He wasn’t afraid to give his advice to this honored Roman centurion. And his doing so seemed to be tolerated by Julius. And yet, Paul didn’t demand or insist on having things go his way. What’s more, his motives were also clearly those that would have been favorable to others—that is, the protection not only of material goods but also of human lives. His example shows us that we advance the cause of the gospel when we get involved in life situations, and show sensitive care for others.

And so; it was then that the troubles really began to show themselves. But it was in the midst of those troubles that Paul’s character as Christ’s ambassador was to shine forth even further. It was his opportunity to be …

3. A FAITHFUL WITNESS (vv. 13-26).

In verses 13-14, Luke told us;

When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon (vv. 13-14).

Experienced seamen have written of how the winds of this part of the world can suddenly shift from south to north. And this one—the Euroclydon(or the North-Easterner) can come suddenly at certain times of the year. Without warning, a ship could be suddenly thrust out into the Adriatic Sea and be driven at the mercy of the winds. In a desperate effort to avoid this danger, it was decided to run along the shelter of an island called Clauda that was south of Crete. But it was to no avail. Using in the language of an experienced seaman, Luke wrote;

So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty. When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven. And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands. Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up (vv. 15-20).

What Paul had warned about had come. But it was then that Paul stood up as a faithful witness. Ordinarily, it would be a very risky decision for a man to rise up and do an ‘I told you so’ to a crew of desperate sailors. But at this point, Paul had a message with proven authority from God Himself. Verses 21-26 tell us;

But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island” (vv. 21-26).

Paul had already been assured by the Lord that he would go to Rome. But now, that promise had been reaffirmed with the added declaration that he would be made to stand before Caesar. Paul spoke with integrity of the God that he served; and that he also bore witness of how he had interceded in prayer for those with him. And what’s more, he affirmed that God had promised him their lives. Paul was not silent about the Lord at this key moment; but clearly testified of Him and of his trust in Him. He was a true ambassador of hope.

In the end, Paul’s prayers—as he bore witness of them—proved to literally be the saving of the lives of others. And in the confidence of those prayers being heard, Paul then became …

4. A BOLD AND PERCEPTIVE EXHORTER (vv. 27-32).

In verses 27-29, Luke went on to write;

Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms. Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come (vv. 27-29).

The seafloor was first sounded at 120 feet, then 90 feet. Land was approaching fast. And notice in this that—now—at least some of the sailors and crew and passengers were praying too. But it was a time of great fear. Some of the sailors—in desperation—were intending to abandon ship. And if this were to have happened, the ship would have been left in the hands of inexperienced soldiers and prisoners who would surely all die. Luke explained in verses 30-32;

And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off (vv. 30-32).

Note how Paul’s prudent advice was being heard at this point. Increasingly, Paul was becoming the leader in this situation. And this led to him also becoming …

5. AN ENCOURAGING EXAMPLE (vv. 33-38).

Not only were desperate measures being taken; but normal needs were not being cared for. It had been fourteen days; and the people on board had not yet eaten. They would need strength for what was ahead. Luke went on to write, in verses 33-38;

And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.” And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat. Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea (vv. 33-38).

Once again, Paul took the lead. He led by example. It’s hard to keep on fasting when a good man eats in front of you—and exhorts you to do the same. Paul projected hope; and he lived in a manner that was consistent with that hope through his own actions.

The Lord Jesus was at work in His chosen ambassador. And that ambassador was proving to be a great encouragement and an instrument of hope to those around him. And so, we find—finally—that Paul proved his character as an ambassador for Christ by being …

6. A VALUED BLESSING (vv. 39-44).

They found a bay at what proved later to be the island of Malta—which, when you look on a map and see that it is nothing more than a tiny dot in the midst of the open sea, could only have been found by the miraculous guidance of God. But the troubles were far from over. In fact, it seemed as if things got even worse. Luke tells us in verses 39-41;

When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible. And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves (vv. 39-41).

Roman soldiers who were responsible for transporting prisoners would ordinarily—in a situation like this—put the prisoners to death. Any soldier whose prisoner escaped would have had to pay for the loss with his own life; and none of those soldiers would have wanted to risk that possibility. But as preparations were being made to perform the executions, the centurion—greatly valuing Paul at this point—stepped in. Verses 42 to 44 tell us;

And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship (vv. 42-44a).

Paul proved to be a blessing to them all. And the end result is told to us in verse 44:

And so it was that they all escaped safely to land (v. 44b).

The careful life of the apostle in the trials of such a situation displayed him to be a man of God. And such a man became a great blessing to others. He was a true, faithful ambassador for Christ … and would go on to continue to be Christ’s ambassador in Rome.

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Each of us, in the various trials of life, is an ambassador for Christ—whether we realize it or not. People look at us in the midst of difficult circumstances, and evaluate the Savior that we claim to follow on the basis of what they see. Paul’s example teaches us the sort of character qualities that make us to be ‘shining light’ for Christ in the midst of ‘the storms’ of life.

May we grow to be the kind of men and women that God can use for the ambassadorship of His Son Jesus!

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¹James Smith, The Voyage And Shipwreck of St. Paul With Dissertations on The Life And Writings of St. Paul, And the Ships And Navigation of The Ancients, 4th ed. (Reprinted, Minneapolis, MN: The James Family Christian Publishers, n.d.).

AE