"THE BOOK OF ACTS"

A Tempestuous Voyage (27:1-44)

INTRODUCTION
  1. Following Paul's defense before King Agrippa...
    1. It was determined that he was not deserving of death or chains - Ac 26:30-31
    2. Yet due to his earlier appeal, he would be sent to Rome - Ac 26:32; cf. Ac 25:11
  2. With great detail, Luke describes the journey to Rome by sea...
    1. Highlighted by a shipwreck along the way - Ac 27:39-44
    2. Something Paul experienced three times before - 2Co 11:25

[The keynote of Luke's account is God's providence, especially in preserving Paul for his Roman testimony (ESV Study Bible, cf. Ac 23:11). It was indeed "A Tempestuous Voyage", so let us follow along as...]

  1. THE VOYAGE BEGINS
    1. FROM CAESAREA TO SIDON...
      1. Paul was delivered to a centurion named Julius - Ac 27:1-2
        1. Together with other prisoners
        2. Accompanied by Luke, author of Acts (note "we")
        3. With Aristarchus of Thessalonica - cf. Ac 19:29; 20:4; Col 4:10; Phm 1:4
      2. They sailed on a ship of Adramyttium - Ac 27:2
        1. A seaport on the western coast of Turkey
        2. Intending to sail along the coasts of Asia (modern Turkey)
        3. Probably a small coasting vessel, not adequate for open-sea voyage (ESVSB)
      3. The next day they stopped at Sidon - Ac 27:3
        1. A seaport of Phoenicia, 22 miles north of Tyre
        2. Where Julius the centurion treated Paul kindly
        3. Allowing Paul liberty to see friends and receive care
    2. FROM SIDON TO MYRA...
      1. Leaving Sidon they sailed under the shelter of the island of Cyprus - Ac 27:4
        1. Because the winds were contrary
        2. Paul had sailed to Cyprus before - Ac 13:4
      2. They then sailed over the sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia - Ac 27:5
        1. Regions of Asia (SE Turkey)
        2. Paul had been born in Tarsus of Cilicia - Ac 22:3
      3. Arriving at Myra of Lycia - Ac 27:5-6
        1. In SE Turkey located on the River Andracus about two and a half miles from the sea
        2. There they transferred to an Alexandrian (Egyptian) ship headed for Italy
        3. This probably was a larger ship, suited for open-sea voyage
    3. FROM MYRA TO CRETE...
      1. Strong winds hindered their progress - Ac 27:7
        1. Forcing them to sail slowly for many days
        2. Arriving with difficulty off Cnidus (SW Turkey)
      2. They headed toward Crete (mountainous island S of Greece) - Ac 27:7-8
        1. Passing the shelter of Salmone (promontory on the NE coast of Crete) with difficulty
        2. Arriving at Fair Havens (an open bay near the city of Lasea on the S coast of Crete)

        [So far the journey had not been easy. Contrary winds forced them to sail under Cyprus, difficult winds forced them to turn toward Crete. The worse was yet to come...]

  2. THE STORM AT SEA
    1. PAUL'S WARNING IGNORED...
      1. Paul advised against sailing further at that time - Ac 27:9-10
        1. Sailing was now dangerous
        2. The Fast (Day of Atonement, late September or early October) was over
        3. He thought it would end in disaster, with loss of cargo, ship and lives
        4. Note: this was Paul's uninspired opinion, not a prophecy
      2. His advice was overturned by the majority - Ac 27:11-12
        1. The centurion was persuaded by the helmsman and owner of the ship
        2. The harbor at Fair Havens was not suitable for spending the winter
        3. The majority wanted to sail to Phoenix (on the SE coast of Crete) and winter there
    2. INTO THE TEMPEST...
      1. With a soft south wind, they set sail along the coast of Crete - Ac 27:13
      2. Soon a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon (or Euroquilo) - Ac 27:14
      3. Unable to head into the wind, they let the ship be driven - Ac 27:15
      4. Running under the shelter of Clauda (an island 23 miles S of Crete), they secured the skiff (a small boat) with difficulty and used cables to undergird the ship - Ac 27:16-17
      5. Fearing they might run aground on the Syrtis Sands (a sandy shoal off the African coast of Cyrene) they struck sail and were driven by the wind - Ac 27:17
      6. Exceedingly tempest tossed, the next day they lightened the ship - Ac 27:18
      7. On the third day they threw the ship's tackle overboard - Ac 27:19
      8. Many days the tempest blew, clouds obscuring sun and stars, all hope lost - Ac 27:20
    3. PAUL'S ASSURANCE OF SURVIVAL...
      1. After long abstinence from food, Paul admonished the crew for not heeding him - Ac 27:21
      2. Yet he urges them to take courage, for while the ship is lost, no lives will be lost - Ac 27:22
      3. The basis for such confidence: an angelic vision - Ac 27:23-24
        1. From an angel of the God to whom Paul belongs and serves
        2. Telling Paul not to be afraid, for he must appear before Caesar
        3. Indeed, God has granted him all souls sailing with him
      4. So Paul encouraged them, confident the vision will prove true though they must run aground on a certain island - Ac 27:25-26
    4. ATTEMPT TO ABANDON SHIP ABORTED...
      1. After 14 nights, in the Adriatic Sea, sailors sensed they were nearing land - Ac 27:27-29
        1. In NT times, the Adriatic included the sea between Crete and Sicily - HIBD
        2. The sailors took soundings after midnight that indicated land was near
        3. Fearing they would run aground on rocks, they dropped 4 anchors from the stern
        4. They then prayed for day to come
      2. Paul prevented sailors from secretly abandoning ship - Ac 27:30-32
        1. The sailors tried to let down the skiff (small boat) under false pretenses
        2. Paul told the centurion and soldiers the sailors must stay on the ship
        3. The soldiers then cut the ropes of the skip and let it fall off
    5. PAUL ENCOURAGES THOSE ON BOARD...
      1. Paul begged everyone to eat food - Ac 27:33-34
        1. As day was about to dawn
        2. Since they had been fasting for 14 days
        3. It was necessary for their survival, as none would be lost
      2. Paul then took bread and gave thanks in the presence of all - Ac 27:35-37
        1. He thanked God, and then began to eat
        2. The others encouraged, also took food
        3. Altogether there were 276 souls on board
      3. After eating, they lightened the ship by throwing wheat into the sea - Ac 27:38

      [With land nearby, hearts encouraged by Paul's reassuring words, and bodies nourished by food, the 276 souls were ready to face what the day would bring...]

  3. SHIPWRECKED ON MALTA
    1. ATTEMPT TO RUN SHIP ONTO THE BEACH FAILED...
      1. They did not recognize the land, but saw a bay with a beach - Ac 27:39
        1. The land was the island of Malta, located south of Sicily - Ac 28:1
        2. The traditional site of the shipwreck is known as St. Paul's Bay - ESVSB
      2. Planning to run the ship onto the beach, they cast off anchors, loosed the rudder ropes, hoisted the mainsail to the wind, and made for shore - Ac 27:39-40
      3. But striking a reef (or sandbar) where two seas met, the bow became stuck and immovable, the stern broken up by violent waves - Ac 27:41
    2. THE SHIP WAS LOST, BUT ALL SOULS WERE SAVED...
      1. The soldiers intended to kill the prisoners lest they escape - Ac 27:42
      2. But the centurion wanted to save Paul and prevented them - Ac 27:43
      3. Commanding those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, the rest using boards or parts of the ship - Ac 27:43-44
      4. And so all arrived safely to land - Ac 27:44
CONCLUSION
  1. One character that stands out in this story is Julius the centurion... - Ac 27:1
    1. Who treated Paul kindly, giving him liberty to see friends and receive care - Ac 27:3
    2. Who did not listen to Paul when he advised staying at Fair Havens - Ac 27:8-12
    3. Who did listen to Paul when the sailors tried to sneak off the ship - Ac 27:30-32
    4. Who saved Paul and other prisoners when the soldiers wanted to kill them - Ac 27:42-44
  2. Another character that stands out is Paul the apostle... - Ac 27:1
    1. Whose advice to stay at Fair Havens should have been heeded - Ac 27:8-12
    2. Whose visitation by an angel of God let Paul and all know what would happen - Ac 27:21-26
    3. Whose counsel concerning the sailors helped to save all on board - Ac 27:30-32
    4. Whose urging to eat and offer of thanks encouraged all on board - Ac 27:33-37

God's providence is seen in how He used a good soldier to provide for His faithful apostle and using a storm and shipwreck to demonstrate the value of one's faith in God to bless the lives of many souls...