July 22, 2020
Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away, Come Sail Away with Me
Acts 27:1-12
Tonni Shook
Central Truth
When God gives us an instruction through His Holy Spirit, our community group or a word in His Holy Bible, we should listen. If we don't obey His direction, we may end up shipwrecked, lost at sea, and hanging on to pieces of the ship.
Key Verse | Acts 27:10
" . . . Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives."
Acts 27:1-12
Paul Sails for Rome
1 And when it was decided that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan Cohort named Julius. 2 And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail to the ports along the coast of Asia, we put to sea, accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica. 3 The next day we put in at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for. 4 And putting out to sea from there we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were against us. 5 And when we had sailed across the open sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy and put us on board. 7 We sailed slowly for a number of days and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, and as the wind did not allow us to go farther, we sailed under the lee of Crete off Salmone. 8 Coasting along it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of Lasea.
9 Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast 1 27:9 That is, the Day of Atonement was already over, Paul advised them, 10 saying, “Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives.” 11 But the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship than to what Paul said. 12 And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there, on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.
Dive Deeper | Acts 27:1-12
As you might have guessed, I am a child of the '80s. When I read this passage, I thought of the band Styx and its hit song, "Come Sail Away." As Paul, Luke, and 274 fellow passengers climbed aboard the ship bound for Rome, they could easily have sung those lyrics. We just read that Paul stood before several political leaders to plead his case after his Jerusalem arrest. I have not been on trial, but I have been abandoned and rejected like Paul. Worse than that, I have abandoned and rejected Jesus. So how do Paul's journey—and mine—end?
Julius, the Roman centurion on board, respected Paul enough to allow him to bring along Luke. When they arrived at Sidon, he was able to be loved on by more friends. (Sidenote: Our community groups give us support and godly wisdom to help us on our own journeys.) Paul and his shipmates continued on, sailing around the coast until they arrived at Fair Havens. As the winds picked up, Paul suggested there would be trouble ahead, including pain, loss, and even death. The ship pilot did not listen and, along with the majority, decided to sail on to Phoenix, some 40 miles away. This would not end well.
My life is much like this journey. I didn't know God until I was in my 20s. Even after accepting Jesus as my Savior, I made several attempts to manage my life. When I experienced a painful divorce, I directed my anger at God. Why would He allow it to happen? Many years later, I see how I veered off course. I had not trusted Him and His plan. Like Paul's fellow shipmates, I thought my decisions were best.
What I learned from Paul is to be ready for the storms ahead. They will come, but what we know for certain is that Jesus is with us. God tells us 166 times in His Word that He will not leave us or forsake us. Soon we will learn how Paul's journey ends, but let's not end up shipwrecked like Paul! Listen to Jesus!
Discussion Questions
1. How has God spoken to you throughout your life? Was it difficult to hear Him? Was it clear, but you did what you wanted to do? That was me for many years!
2. How many times have you "wrecked" your own life? How did God rescue you? Too many to count!
3. Do you think Paul was afraid or focused on God's promise? I believe Paul was focused.
4. Are you 100 percent certain Jesus is your Lord and Savior? If not, ask Him. He's waiting with open arms.