Through The Bible - Acts 27:1-37 - Part 1

Brett Meador: Paul admonished them. I perceived that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading of the ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless, the centurion believed the master and owner of the ship more than the things which were spoken of by Paul.
Kurt: Pastor Brett Meador with wise words from Today's Word.
Brett Meador: Sometimes you shouldn't just go with what the experts are saying. Be really careful because sometimes we think we know stuff, but we actually really don't.
Kurt: In Acts 27, Paul began his journey to Rome by ship, but things quickly took a dangerous turn. Given a sense the weather could be of great concern, Paul's warning to the crew that continuing the journey could bring disaster was disregarded. Pastor Brett Meador says the lesson in Today's Word reminds us faith means trusting God's direction even when we think we know better.
Brett Meador: Acts chapter 27, we uh have been kind of thick into the story of Paul and his perilous voyages and journeys and what have you. You know, this is kind of his last big journey. And he went on his missionary journeys, three to be precise. But this one is kind of his road to Rome, you know, or the pathway uh to Rome because he's going to do a lot of it by sea. But this is quite the perilous voyage. The tiny ship was tossed, if you know what I mean. You know, have you ever noticed that everybody makes thousands of decisions every day? Big ones, but a lot of little ones, you know. Some are more than important than others, but some you don't think they're important, but they can shake out to be really important decisions that you made. Some of you decided when you were going to get up this morning. Some of you decided whether you were going to push the snooze button once. But you made decisions, you know, and and um when it comes to decisions, wouldn't it be great if you could just know what was the right decision, what was the optimal decision every single time? Like that would be uh an amazing skill set if you could know exactly what to do every single time. If you knew what you should do differently to do better at work or how to handle tricky situations and friendships and you know, if if you knew all the decisions, you knew you could quit this job for a better job. If you knew how to do all this stuff and knew ahead. But God in his omnipotence and omniscience, he knows that we are people that don't really know what to do and we're pretty clueless as it turns out. And I think that the Lord does that not to be mean to you, but he wants you to rely on him and depend on him. You can depend on a lot of things that are not very dependable. But you're so much better off on the things that we can really lean in and say, Lord, we're going to trust you. We have his word that is great. So there's some easy ones. Should you kill someone? No. Cuz the Bible says thou shalt not kill. I like the simple ones like that. But the Bible even deals with some of the more nuancey things and it gets kind of mystical in fact because the Bible talks about how, yeah, we don't know what we're doing, but you can allow the peace of God to rule your heart. What does that mean? That means that the Lord will give you a peace one way or the other. You'll get a sense of peace like this is the right way to go. This is what I'm supposed to do and it's very mysterious, but it's very much from the Lord. And this is something that I think we're going to see demonstrated pretty radically. People don't know what they're doing in this story and it's going to show pretty radically and it just reminds me of that. Experts, by the way, they're so called because they know generally about something. But have you ever noticed how much the experts really don't know? It seems like more than ever, have you noticed the so called experts have kind of shown their hand just a little bit like, wow, they really don't know what they're talking about. Do you remember when butter was really bad for you? In my office at home, I have a study that was done like back in 1985, but I saved it cuz I loved it. McDonald's cheeseburgers cure cancer. It was a serious Something about the cheese mixed with the meat. Of course, if you're an Old Testament person, you know you're not supposed to do that, but they were saying that the dairy and the you ask McDonald's and the dairy with the meat and the way they cook it, it helps cure cancer. I was like, yes, life article right there. But experts claim, you know, to know what's going to come down the pike. You know, what about the stock market or meteorology predicting the weather? That's one thing that I'm pretty sure they don't know. There was a guy here in Portland that I forget his name, one of the weathermen, but he decided for a couple of years to check whether he got it right or wrong and kind of show that at the end of each broadcast. Well, I was uh I was right and he gave himself a green check. But he started getting red checks uh as wrong over and over and over. So he stopped doing that cuz it wasn't job security. But you know, the economy, what if you knew the economy or strategic military decisions that nations make? Like there's so many decisions and people they get it wrong so much so often and and it's really kind of sad. But I love as Christians, you and I should have an advantage. Now, the Lord may or may not want you to know what's going to happen with the stock market. Maybe he'll part of his plan is to have you not do so well with that. So you you don't always know what God wants, but you will know his way. I'm reminded of James 1:5. What a great verse where it says, but if any of you lack wisdom, let him or her ask of God that giveth to all men liberally. What is God God's a liberal when it comes to handing out wisdom. Gives men all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him. And so this is something we're going to see sort of demonstrated here with Paul. He's not a meteorologist. He's not a soothsayer or a psychic, but he has a connection to God that is so powerful and so real. It's going to affect the whole everybody that's around him. It's going to greatly affect him and I think it's worth noting. So a little recap on Paul where he is now. Paul's been a prisoner, if you recall, for now over two years in Caesarea. First under Felix and Drusilla and then under Festus along with Bernice and then King Agrippa, you know, and Bernice came. We've kind of seen that drama unfolding, the trial of Paul. And they both concluded, you know, man, this guy could be freed if he didn't appeal to Caesar. Remember Paul said, I'm a Roman citizen and I appeal to Caesar. And you think what a stupid thing to do. Well, Paul already was told by the Lord talking about knowing what to do. Paul was already told by the Lord that he could in fact know what was going to happen. And so really that's something that I think is going to be seen obviously here that Paul knows he 's going to Rome. He 's got a job to do and he 's going to do it well. We are going to see that, but it 's going to be a perilous voyage nonetheless. So when Paul appealed to Caesar, Festus, Agrippa, Bernice, they they didn't see any fault in him. They said we could have let him go if he didn't do that, but that was all Paul's plan. Now, that's where we really pick it up here in Acts chapter 27 verse 1. And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus's band. And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched meaning to sail by the coast of Asia. One Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul and gave him liberty to go into his friends to refresh himself. Wow, so this is interesting. A couple of things about this names and people and stuff that's kind of interesting. We meet some new characters here. One is the centurion whose name is Julius, fairly common name in Rome, but this was a centurion. Usually a centurion was a captain of about 100 soldiers. But something I just want to note for you Bible students, every time we read about centurions in the Bible, they always tend to be good guys, which is interesting. They're Romans, which should technically mean they're bad guys. But there's something about centurions that they always kind of turn out to be good guys. There's good centurions, even the one that would stand by the cross and say, surely this is the son of God. There's centurions that came to Jesus for help and had faith more than even the Jewish people. This is another example of a centurion who's showing Paul kindness and giving Paul somewhat liberty that's not normal. In fact, if you know Roman history, this would be really dangerous for Julius to let Paul have any liberty at all. He releases Paul to his friends before they leave to Rome. This would be a huge risk. If Paul, you know, uh bolted, that could cost Julius as a centurion his life. So it must be somehow that Julius trusted Paul. Um maybe Paul's character came through in that time that Julius knew Paul. He was able to say, go hang out with your buddies and we're going to sail on such and such a date and you need to report back here. Like that's quite a liberty that he gave Paul. But um with all that said, we also read here it says Aristarchus and Luke, they're in verse 2. They entered into a ship of um this long uh Adramyttium. They launched meaning to sail by the coast of Asia. Now, that's not Japan and China. That's Asia Minor, which is really more modern day Turkey, Lebanon and Turkey up in that region there in the Aegean Sea and what have you. So Aristarchus then is going to be in the play here because Aristarchus and Luke, if you see in verse 2 uh and beyond, they're going to accompany Paul even on this voyage, which is interesting. Again, this is probably the centurion Julius who's allowing this to happen, allowing Luke and Aristarchus to travel and accompany Paul on this voyage. So the favor Paul enjoys from Julius meant he was allowed to take these companions with him, which is pretty cool. Verse 4. It says, and when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus because the winds were contrary. But it says there in verse 5, and when we sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra and the city of Lycia. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy and he put us therein. So they're transferring from one ship to another. Then verse 7, and when we had sailed slowly many days and scarce were come over against Anidus, uh the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete over against Salmone. And hardly passing it came unto a place which is called the Fair Havens, nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea. So you know, we we kind of start of course Paul starts this journey really in Jerusalem. And remember he had the 470 Romans that escorted him from Jerusalem to Caesarea, spent more than two years at Caesarea. And now he finally is making his trip from Sidon to Myra to Anidus. These are all these locations that are mentioned that And by the way, when he's when he's saying we barely kind of went this way and we barely went that way, it meant that the winds weren't really blowing them very quickly. They were slower journeys than probably what they once wanted. You got to remember this this is almost 2,000 years ago. They weren't on the Queen Mary or uh some Princess Cruise Line ship. You think, oh, what a nice little tour he's going on. The first ship he was on was probably according to history. The Romans had those ships going up and down the Aegean and they were really a grain freighters what they'd call them in the Roman times. They would take grain that was grown in Egypt and they would bring it up to Italy according to Hughes. The typical grain freighter of that period was 140 ft long and 36 ft wide. So this was probably this first ship that Paul took in those days. They were not big. Uh 36 ft wide, 140 ft long with uh a big square sail. Instead of rudder, uh like a rudder what we typically think, they had sort of like two paddles uh on both sides and they'd stick one in and then pull that out, stick that in to try to steer. Uh the rudder was a nice invention. They didn't have that yet on that particular ship. They were sturdy, they were stout, but it was really bad at sailing into the wind. Now, uh after that they got another ship which might have been a little bigger one was uh which could have been a a Roman cargo ship. Shipping was a big deal with the Roman Empire. So it wasn't really hard for Paul and the centurion Julius to just jump on ships and go. And it was sort of a system of the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire were known for their shipping, but also their mailing and their road systems and their aqueducts. They were modernizing in a way like nobody's business the Roman Empire, which is kind of interesting. But one thing you should know, there's a dangerous time where nobody sails. And it's basically from September 14th to November 11th, even to this day. Uh they don't like to have smaller vessels in some of these waters. And we see that come into the story now in verse 9. Now, when much time was spent and when sailing was now dangerous because the fast was now already passed, which by the way, when we're talking about the fast, we're talking about the Day of Atonement for you Bible students, you know, the fast was on the 10th day of the seventh month according to Leviticus 23:27. So this is the fast being referred to here. So because the fast was now already passed, Paul admonished them and said unto them, sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading of the ship, but also of our lives. Nevertheless, the centurion believed the master and owner of the ship more than the things which were spoken of by Paul. And because the haven uh was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also if by any means that they might attain to Phenice. And there to winter, which is in a haven of Crete and lieth toward the southwest and northwest. And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing thence they sailed close by Crete. But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon. Does that sound ominous? Euroclydon coming soon to a theater near you, you know, like Euroclydon. That's quite a name. So so what they're doing is they're setting sail during a dangerous season. Paul is going to warn them. Now, note that Paul is not necessarily speaking as a prophet of God. But I would suggest Paul's speaking as an experienced traveler on the Mediterranean. His previous missionary journeys, he's already spent a lot of time on the Mediterranean Sea, the Aegean Sea. Maybe he was speaking from experience as a traveler having already traveled some if you do the math about 3,500 miles by sea and he he knows that passageway. He also knew the seasons, the conditions and and then maybe with supernatural wisdom. I I wouldn't totally uh cancel that possibility, but Paul advises that they don't go on, but they make a decision to go and blow off Paul. Now, names to note on this Euroclydon when the Bible says in verse 14 here, but it was a tempestuous wind. That word tempestuous, the Greek word there is typhonikos. Typhonikos. That sound like a word? Typhoon. It's where we get our word typhoon. That's the entomology. So the word tempestuous really does mean typhoon. So Euroclydon is a cyclonic tempestuous northeast wind which blows in the Mediterranean mostly in the autumn and also in the winter. In the modern vernacular today they call it the Gangelia or the Levanter. That's what they call the same store that's Bible time Euroclydon. Now, we're going to see where things are going to get bad here. But before we move in here and see how bad it gets, did you notice that Julius the centurion had a choice to make? In verse 11, nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship more than those things which were spoken of by Paul. So what are you going to do if you're the centurion? Do you listen to Paul? Now, let let me remind you history tells us that Paul was a little short little bald guy with a big hook nose and weepy eyes and he also had a squeaky voice. So picture Paul kind of walking up and he's going, sirs, I believe this voice you got to be really perilous. You know, it's going to And they're just like, uh never mind. What do you say, ship owner? And let me tell you as the owner of the ship or the captain of the ship. And so it it's kind of no wonder they're like, yeah, whatever, this squeaky voice Jew theologian or whatever he is. Uh even though the centurion seems to give favor to Paul, he doesn't listen to Paul. Um he listens to the captain and the owner of the ship and he's going to This is a bad choice by the way. Two things that I want you to note that the centurion Julius decided to keep on sailing. The first thing I want you to note is Julius went with the experts. Sometimes I think you should be really careful and especially today. What about all the so-called climate change science? The experts. Wow, it's amazing how bad they are and how off and nobody's Why don't we play rewinds all the time of Al Gore's, you know, Inconvenient Truth? The reason? None of that came to pass and you know, he said in 20 years this, 20 years that. Well, it's been 20 years. And none of that's happened and guess what? We California is still there. Unfortunately. No, just kidding, just kidding. Uh you know, but it is funny how like they said, oh, this is going to happen and this kind of you know, it really hasn't changed. And really what we've seen is what the Bible says. It's called science falsely so called. Now, don't get me wrong. Christians should love science because science really if if you think about it, it's only proven the Bible. Everything the Bible says that touches on It's not a scientific book, but everything that touches science, it's amazingly accurate. It's shocking that this book written over 1,500 year period by 40 different authors, three different continents, three different languages, Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic. And yet there's no like, oh, that was just a really dumb thing to say, like the earth is flat. Oh, but Brett, uh the Bible talks about the four corners of the earth. Everybody still talks about that, north, south, east and west. It's an idiom. But when it comes to the shape of the earth, Isaiah talks about how it's a sphere hung upon nothing, which is kind of way ahead of its time when the Bible wrote about that. Well, anyway, all that to say watch out. I I think particularly in these days we're living, which I believe are the last days, I think we're going to see more and more so-called science. And they're going to be more draconian in their actions about what they call science. And I think we should be wisely skeptical quite honestly. You know, they call stuff science like psychology is a science, the study of the psyche. But the Bible claims to be the authority on the human soul, which is the psyche. And you have to go, do I go with the Bible or do I go with the science of psychology? If it's true in psychology, it's also going to be found true in the Bible. But if it goes against the Bible, you can just say, ain't that's wrong. Watch out for the experts. Don't just take it hook, line and sinker. And by the way, if you were hardcore global warming and we called it that, they call that science. But you remember when it started cooling and they're like, uh-oh, what do we do now? Oh, it's it's not When I was a kid, it started with global cooling. Do you guys remember that if you're old? Uh the earth was going to go through another ice age. Uh wrong. And then they said, oh, it's global warming, global warming. Wrong. And they said, well, it's going Oh, it's it's going up and down. So we'll call it climate change. I call that weather. By the way, the Bible declares that the Lord's going to allow there to be summer, spring, winter and fall until the Lord destroys the earth. So guess what? The Bible states that it's going to still have the seasons on the earth. And so we can just chill and put our trust in the Lord. He made this earth. He's the one who's the sustainer of this earth. And we are not. So be careful on the so-called expert. Well, Julius, he lines up with the experts on this one. Verse 11 it says, nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship more than the things which Paul said. So sometimes the experts are wrong. By the way, uh one thing about human nature is also Have you ever noticed people make some of their biggest mistakes in the things they're strongest in? Like in some of the things that they're the expert on, that's where in their own personal life they blow it. Have you guys noticed that? I mean, consider a few Bible characters like Abraham. He was the father of what? Anybody? Father of faith is what he's called. He's he's like he's famous for being the father of faith. His downfall was lacking faith in trusting God for his son. Remember that? Like it's funny how sometimes is the greatest thing, but he's called the father of faith of all things. What are you an expert in? And if you're really an expert, like there's some people like I'm an expert, but they're kind of not because they still don't know they don't know as much as they think they know. Be careful, Christian. The thing that you're best at, that might just be one of your biggest downfalls. I think it's because we get overconfident or we think I would never do that and then we set ourselves up for failure. But I wonder, you know, in life if we kind of be really careful because sometimes we think we know stuff, we think we know stuff, but we actually really don't. Um Julius, I I just see this as a good reminder, sometimes you shouldn't just go with what the experts are saying. But Paul is very gracious here saying, man, I you know, we shouldn't leave. But you know, he listened to the experts. Big mistake.
Kurt: Pastor Brett Meador drawing out an important lesson from Acts chapter 27 from Today's Word, how faith means trusting God's wisdom when we cannot see what lies ahead. And we've only just begun Paul's journey to Rome, so we hope you'll stick around next time as well. And I invite you to stay right there as Pastor Brett will join me here at a moment to give some good advice about reading God's word. But first Today's Word is the radio ministry of Atheist Creek Church in the Portland, Oregon area where Pastor Brett Meador is the senior pastor. If you missed any portion of this study, you'll find all of his messages online at todayswordradio.com. Well, Pastor Brett is with me now. I know we have some folks listening who read the Bible occasionally, but want to find a more structured way to do that, maybe even daily. Brett, if someone would like to begin a daily reading plan, where would be a good place to start?
Brett Meador: Yeah, Kurt, I get asked that question a lot and for good reason. You know, a lot of people would say, well, why not just start in the book of Genesis, which a person could do that. And I love the book of Genesis, but for a new Christian, you'll hear people say, well, what if you start in the Gospel of John? And I think one thing that we need to remember is the Bible is actually 66 books that is compiled together into one volume. So you shouldn't feel bad about jumping into any of the books. John is so beautiful because it's really helping you get to know Jesus. And to know Jesus is really to know the word of God. So getting the handle on the Gospel of John, then I'd encourage to read through the whole New Testament and maybe go back and read a psalm along with your daily reading, a proverb perhaps. Eventually I would hope that everyone would read through the whole Bible. We're reminded in 2 Timothy 3:16, it says all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable. So not just you know, your favorite verses, all scripture is given for instruction. One thing I've discovered about the Bible, it's the only book that really uh speaks to me as I'm reading it to my soul. Hebrews 4:12 says, the word of God is quick and powerful and is the discerner of thoughts and the intents of the heart. That means living, powerful. So when you open your Bible, you can expect the Bible to come alive to you and it'll speak exactingly into your life. So when you open the Bible daily, it'll be a life changer. I I believe if you faithfully spend time in the word, God is faithful to use the word to shape your life, to give you faith and it'll illuminate your path. So stick to it. Don't give up on the scripture.
Kurt: Uh thank you for that encouragement. A word to begin reading God's word and a reminder of just how powerful the Bible is. Thanks, Pastor Brett. Well, for more information about Today's Word or Pastor Brett Meador, you can visit our website at todayswordradio.com. Next time Pastor Brett will continue the story of the Apostle Paul's trip to Rome by ship when a dangerous storm hit and how who we listen to matters when navigating our own storms. Today's Word with Pastor Brett Meador is an outreach of Atheist Creek Church in West Linn, Oregon.