This Lesson is Especially for, Dear One I would like to Welcome all of the new subscribers to our weekly Bible Study. Please know that God is well pleased that you care enough to study His Letter To Us, the Holy Bible. If you missed the previous Chapters of our study on the Book of Acts. Just let me know and I will be happy to forward them to you. Reply to: As many of you know we ended our study with Chapter Twenty-Four last week. Today we will move on to Chapter Twenty-Seven. We are not covering Chapters 25 & 26. So please read both of those chapters on your own before you start this lesson. Now let us begin our trip back 2,000 years ago to Ancient Jerusalem, and join Paul in further trials and tribulations. Which he endures, while trying to spread the Gospel of Christ. Plus today we will be taking a cruse to Rome, so be sure to bring your passport as well my friend. Acts, Chapter 27 The Voyage to Rome Begins 27: 1 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. Luke accompanied Paul on this journey. Julius was a hardened Roman centurion who was assigned to guard Paul. Now the other prisoners may have also appealed their case to Caesar, or they may have been sentenced to death, and were on their way to Rome to appear as combatants in the arena. 2 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. Aristarchus, is the man who was dragged into the theater at the beggining of the riot in Ephesus. (see Acts 19:29; 20:4; Philemon 24 ) 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. Julius had become close to Paul as he guarded him. Thus he gave him a certain amount of freedom, and later even spared his life. (see Acts 27:43 ) 4 When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. This was Not a good time to sail at all. It was just before the winter months when sailing became very difficult because of storms. 5 And when we had sailed over the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. Now because of head winds, the ship had to sail north of the Island of Cyprus, using it and the mainland to break the force of the gale. Eventually the travelers reached the port of Myra. There a much larger ship could be found which could sail to Italy. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy, and he put us on board. 7 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. They had now sailed near Cnidus which was on the southwest tip of Asia Minor, some 130 miles from Myra. This would be their last port of call before sailing across the Aegean Sea to the coast of Greece. However, the wind was so strong that the ship was forced southward along the southern coast of the Island of Crete. 8 Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. Finally the ship docked at a small port called Fair Havens. However, now the season for sailing was over, and continuing the journey any further would have been very dangerous indeed! Pauls Warning Ignored 9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, 10 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. Paul was an experienced sailor, and he had even been shipwrecked twice before. (see 2 Corinthians 11:25 ) So he indeed knew what he was talking about! However, his sage advise was ignored because Fair Havens was a small town, and the sailors decided to try to reach Phoenix, which was a major port on the west side of Crete, over 60 miles away. 11 Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. 12 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. So although this was not the best time to sail, the pilot and the owner of the ship did not want to spend the winter in the small town of Lasea, so they decided to take a chance. At first it seemed as though they were correct, but then a deadly storm arose from nowhere. In the Tempest 13 When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. Now in the morning there was a calm over the sea, and a breeze blowing from the south, so the travelers quickly set sail thinking all was fine. 14 But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon. The word translated [ tempestuous ] is the root of our word Typhoon. Euroclydon, was a name given to all northeasterly storms, and when it hit the ship it prevented the crew from sailing into the wind. Thus the storm drove the ship south of a small Island called Clauda, which broke the gale force wind long enough for the crew to take some measures to save the ship. 15 So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. 16 And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty. 17 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. They Used Cables To Undergird The Ship, meant that the sailors passed strong ropes under the ship, pulling them up tight to hold the ship together. This was because the ships timbers could come apart under such strong winds. Now the feared running aground near Syrtis, because that area was filled with sandbars. This area was located just off the northeastern coast of Africa. So the crew dropped the sea anchor attempting to slow down the ship 18 And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. 19 On the third day we threw the ships tackle overboard with our own hands. 20 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. 21 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. 22 And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. Paul was not saying, I told you so to them, but he was reminding them that, with Gods guidance, he had predicted this very problem. (see Acts 27:10 )Thus they now and in the future listened to him, and their lives were saved because they did. (see Acts 27:30-32 ) 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, 24 saying, Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you. 25 Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. 26 However, we must run aground on a certain island. 27 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. The Adriatic Sea referred to the central part of the Mediterranean Sea between Italy, Crete, and the northern coast of Africa. 28 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. Soundings were made by throwing a weighted, marked rope into the water. When it hit bottom, sailors could tell the depth of the water from the marks on the rope. 29 Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come. 30 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, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved. 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off. 33 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. 34 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. 35 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. 36 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. 37 And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. 38 So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea. Shipwrecked on Malta 39 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. 40 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. 41 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. 42 And the soldiers plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. Now the soldiers would pay with their own lives if any of the prisoners escaped. So naturally their instinctive reaction was to kill the prisoners so they would not get away. 43 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, Now Julius the centurion was impressed with Paul as we learned earlier. Therefore he wanted to save Pauls life! Also it just happened that Julius was the highest ranking officer and therefore the decision was his alone to make. 44 and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land. Therefore because of the actions of Julius, Pauls live was preserved for his later ministry in Rome, and also it fulfilled Pauls prediction that all people on the ship would be saved! Well Dear One, that finishes our study of Chapter 27. We will continue our study with Chapter 28 next week. Until then keep smiling my friend, for remember that Peace begins with a smile, and ends with a frown. Amen. With My Love & Prayers, Pastor Allen
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:22:11 +0000
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