Today's Word Radio

Brett Meador: Are you in a storm right now that's gone on for a long time? And you're like, man, am I still in this situation? You know, if you're in a storm, can I just say, don't lose hope? And who knows what board's actually doing like he's going to do here with Paul something really great.

Guest (Male): Pastor Brad Metter, confident of the Lord's shelter in the storm.

Brett Meador: One of the things to remember is the Lord might lead you through difficult times. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. That's kind of what Paul's doing here like Psalms 23. Paul tapped into the Lord and he knew how to handle the bad situation.

Guest (Male): Toiled and tossed around in the stormy Mediterranean Sea for weeks, Paul's notable confident encouragement to the desperate and fearful crew of board was of all things to be of good cheer. And just as the word of the Lord spoke to Paul to fear not, Pastor Brad Metter reminds us in today's word that faith in God is a call to trust him for direction in our given situation.

Brett Meador: Paul's been a prisoner, if you recall, for now over two years in Caesarea. We've kind of seen that drama unfolding, the trial of Paul. Well, Paul already was told by the Lord that he could, in fact, know what was going to happen. Paul knows he's going to Rome, but it's going to be a perilous voyage nonetheless. That's where we really pick it up here in Acts chapter 27 verse nine. Now, when much time was spent and when sailing was now dangerous because the fast was now already past, 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. 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, they don't like to have smaller vessels in some of these waters. So because the fast was now already past, 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 was not commodious to 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. Euroclydon, that's quite a name. 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 speaking as an experienced traveler on the Mediterranean. His previous missionary journeys, he's already spent a lot of time on the Mediterranean Sea. Maybe he was speaking from experience as a traveler. He also knew the seasons, the conditions, and and then maybe with supernatural wisdom. I wouldn't totally cancel that possibility, but Paul advises that they don't go on, but they make a decision to go and blow off Paul. Uh 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, does that sound like a word? Typhoon, it's where we get our word 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 Gangalia or the Levanter. That's what they call the same store to this Bible time in Euroclydon. So we're going to see where things are going to get bad here. But before we move into 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. 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. But in verse 12, you know, it says there, the more part advised to depart thence also. That's just King James saying the majority of this other sailors agree that they should keep going as well.

In Acts 27:12, it says because the haven was not commodious into winter in, the more part, that's the majority, advised to depart thence also. So it's interesting because this is funny. I think there's maybe a motivation that the majority is being nudged by. What's that? Well, it's where they are compared to where they're going to go. You see, if they stop where Paul is saying, they're going to be stuck there for months. Right now they're in a port called Fair Haven. Should we stay in Fair Haven for the winter or should we sail to Phenice?

And they said, let's sail to Phenice. The reason this is kind of funny to me is because it's like modern day. It'd be like, do you want to spend three months in Dundee if you're a sailor, or do you want to spend three months in Las Vegas? That's the equivalent. You see, Phenice was this kind of secular worldly, but all kinds of stuff to do. That was Phenice. But Fair Haven, there's nothing to do. Uh so they said, we're going out of here cuz we don't want to spend all winter in this dumb place called Fair Haven.

Well, after this big storm arises, what happens? Verse 15. And when the ship was caught and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. And running under a certain island, which is called Clauda, we had much work come by the boat which when they had taken up, they used helps or ropes undergirding the ship and fearing lest they should fall into the quicksand, strake sail. And so we're driven. And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lighted the ship. They dumped all their cargo because it was too dangerous.

Verse 19. And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. Man, this You know they're desperate now. They got rid of all their cargo, so the profit is gone in this journey. And then their tackle, all their block and tackle, the things that hoist the sails and all that stuff, this is desperation. Verse 20. And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then taken away. Do you get a sense of Paul maybe even lost a little bit of hope?

I I hear that a little bit here. He didn't say, the crew lost all hope. I was totally confident cuz God told me we were going to make it. So he didn't say that. He said all hope was lost that we were going to make it. Now, this is important. So they used rope to undergird the ship. They They were worried about the ship breaking up under the pressure of the waves and what have you. So it was an emergency measure to put ropes around the ship and keep it from hopefully not to break apart.

Secondly, the fear of crashing into the island sands or they called it quicksand. And then thirdly, they lightened the ship by throwing ship's tackle and the cargo over. And now we know they've been out for many days and the storm's gone for a long time. Are you in a storm right now that's gone on for a long time? It's interesting how storms they just you know, those bad days seem to run together. And you're like, man, am I still in this situation? You know, if you're in a storm, can I just say, don't lose hope?

And who knows what board's actually doing like he's going to do here with Paul something really great. So they lose hope. Now, Paul is proven to have been right. Would you agree with me on that? So do you think Paul's going to be a guy one of those kind of guys that I told you guys you shouldn't listen to me? Do you think Paul's going to do that? Yes, he is. Sorry, that was a trick question, but verse 21. But after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst of them and said, sirs, you should have hearkened unto me and not have loosed from Crete and to have gained this harm and loss.

And now I exhort you to be of good cheer for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship. This is Paul. I don't think he 's doing this just to be a you know, weirdo. You should all listen to me. But I think he's reminding them, hey, remember I predicted this and now I'm going to predict something else. It's like he's giving authority to what he 's saying next and that is by the way, I know that nobody's going to lose their life on this voyage. We're going to lose the ship, but nobody's going to lose their life.

Now, in those days to hear that, I would have said hogwash. If you lose the ship, you lose everybody. There weren't search and rescue and Coast Guard flying on helicopters looking for sunken If you sunk in those days, you were dead. So Paul's saying something that's kind of outrageous but saying, remember I told you about the storm. Now I'm telling you this. And how do you know that, Paul? Well, he's going to get into that. In fact, it's verse 23. There stood by me this night the angel of God whose I am and whom I serve.

So he's saying, I'm of God. God's mine. I serve God. Well, one of his angels, King James is kind of telling us this, has told me this about this. Now, by the way, just a note, this wasn't a direct appearance of Jesus, I don't believe, as it was in Acts 23:11. Remember we saw that before? But this is of an angel. And I just want to point out that God's word comes to Paul in different ways. In Acts 23:11 it was Remember the Lord Jesus it seems stood right next to him and said, Paul, be of good cheer.

You're going to go to Rome. Now it's an angel here in this text. And I just want to point out God speaks to Paul in different ways at different times. And that's something you can expect as a Christian. Sometimes you'll hear a word from the Lord as you're praying and you'll have a sense in your heart. Other times a friend will come and put their arm around and say, you know what? I really believe the Lord is telling you a, b, and c. And you have to discern, is that from the Lord? Maybe it'll be that.

Maybe it'll be through a teaching of a Bible study or maybe it'll be through just driving down the road and seeing something or like the Lord speaks in various ways and that's happening with Paul. We shouldn't be surprised. But he says, the God I serve told me you know, this verse 24 saying, fear not, Paul, for thou must be brought before Caesar. And lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. In other words, everybody's going to be saved. Verse 25, wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me.

How be it, we must be cast upon a certain island. Well, Paul's got some detail. Ship's going to break up, but we're going to end up on some island somewhere, but we're all going to be alive. Ship's going to be lost. And how do I know this? An angel of God told me this and reminded me, I'm going to be taken to Rome. So be of good cheer. Now I've marked this in my Bible, verse 25, be of good cheer, for I believe God. Now you might say, was that an effective message? Cuz if you're one of those guys and you're toiling and being tossed in the sea and this guy comes and says, hey, everybody be happy.

I believe God. You'd say, well, law, tea, daw. Who cares what you believe? Where's your God now? Like why are we toiling in this horrible storm that's been going on for days and days? You know, it's funny how uh I love what Paul says here first what he says, but also I want you to tuck it away for a little bit later. But what did he say? I believe God. He didn't say I believe in God. He said I believe God. What he just told me that we're going to all be safe and the ship's going to be lost.

Don't forget every demon in hell believes God's existence. But Paul declared his total confidence in God's knowledge of his situation and the promise that was given to go to Rome. So uh but tuck that away just for a few minutes as we keep reading. Verse 27. When the 14th night was come, as we were driven up and down in Adria about midnight, the shipment deemed that they drew near to some country, land home maybe, even though it was still a storm. Verse 28, and they sounded and found 20 fathoms. And when they had gone a little further, they sounded again and found it 15 fathoms.

Now this idea of sounding, that's just taking a rope with a weight and lowering it to find out how deep it is because they don't want to run up into the rocks. But what's a fathom? One fathom equals two yards. So when it says 20 fathoms, it's 40 yards or 120 ft. 15 fathoms is 30 yards or 90 ft. So they're getting closer to shore is what we're learning there. Verse 29, then fearing lest we should have fallen upon the rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern and wished for the day. Do you guys sense desperation?

You know, they have no sails, no rigging. They're just being driven and they're starting to see how deep it is like, oh, it's getting shallower. What do we do? Throw all the anchors out because we need to stop lest we dash into the rocks. And then they just hoped that the day would come. Have you ever had a dark night of the soul when you just wished day would come? That's kind of what these guys are doing. But that's true. Day will come. It all comes to pass. It says in verse 30, and as the shipment were about to flee out of the ship when they had let down the boat into the sea under color as though they would have cast anchors out of the fore ship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, except these abide in the ship, you cannot be saved.

Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat and let her fall off. The last ditch effort was to bail off of the ship and go on the little dinghy that's there and hopefully desperately save their life. And Paul said, if you guys do that, you're going to die. Uh if you stay with the ship, you're going to be live. And now Paul's actually giving orders. There's something about Paul and his authority and his knowledge of what's going on. Now they're listening to him. So they cut the boat off the dinghy or the lifeboat as they call it.

And now they're just stuck on the ship for sure. He says, if you jump ship, you'll perish. Verse 33. And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take meat saying, this day is the 14th day that you have tarried and continued fasting and of having taken nothing. Now, by the way, this fasting was probably not because they were fasting and praying. I know that some of you are like, oh, how wonderful they're fasting and praying. No, they're probably all barfing and green and seasick from being tossed and they're probably not eating.

But this comes up to the thing and it says verse 34, wherefore I pray you take some meat or some food for this is for your health for there shall not a hair fall from the head of any of you. Man, that might be a life verse for some of you guys. So mark that in yellow. Verse 35, and when he had thus spoken, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all. And when he had broken it, he began to eat. And says verse 36, then they were all of good cheer and they also took some meat or some food.

And we were in all the ship 203 score and 16 souls. 276 men is the idea here. So breaking bread, does this remind you guys of anything? Communion, right? I mean, it's almost like what Jesus He gave thanks to God in the presence of the all and when he had broken the bread, he gave He He began to It makes me think of communion, breaking bread. There is a cheerfulness. I almost wonder if this is just a little bit of a picture for us in the What are What are you doing in the midst of a storm?

One of the best places you could be if you're in uh trouble um in dark night of the soul like these guys, 14 days, two whole weeks they've been in fighting the storm. That's a long haul. But when do they first get a hint of cheerfulness? It's when they break bread. I think that's kind of a beautiful picture here for us. And then verse 37, and we were all in the ship 203 score and 16 souls. So 276 men. You know, um takeaway here, bad decision was made, but Paul tapped into the Lord and he knew how to handle the bad situation.

Even though they made the wrong decision, Paul was still tuning into the Lord for direction, everything from eating food to cutting off the lifeboat to not jumping overboard. And one of the things, you know, to remember is the Lord might lead you through difficult times. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. That's kind of what Paul's doing here like the Psalms 23. Just because it's hard doesn't mean you're not doing the right thing. The Lord never promises rosy petunias and rainbows. You might go through really difficult times.

It can be tough, but at least you'll know that God is directing you and he'll get you through the valley of the shadow of death. That's what Paul's experiencing here. So when decisions are made under the guidance of Christ, it was always fruitful and fulfilling. When they were listening to the experts and the masses, they were always making the wrong decision. Now, remember I told you that I'd remind you when he says, for I believe God. They're in verse 25. One of the things I wanted to kind of tap into that in this moment is he says, be of good cheer, for I believe God.

I almost get a sense that these guys are all looking to Paul now because guess what? Paul is demonstrating a little thing called faith. Paul is being a man of faith and saying, I know God and God told me this and it's a 100% done deal. Be of good cheer. I believe God. And I don't think those guys were saying, well, law, tea, daw. I think as the storm went on for 14 days, you kind of get a sense these guys are like, this guy knows what he's doing. And maybe we have a little bit of faith too.

So I wonder when Paul bows his head and breaks bread and blesses the bread, I wonder if all the 276 sailors if they all bowed their heads and said, okay, well, that's this guy is a man of faith. Let's join him. He's been right about everything. Be of good cheer for I believe God. I wonder if that was infectious. The faith of Paul is faith infectious. Well, we do know minimally. Remember the story, Matthew 9:2, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy lying on a bed. And Jesus seeing whose faith? The man laying on the bed?

No. Seeing at the four friends, remember the four dudes? Seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy, son, be of good cheer. Does that sound like Paul? Be of good cheer, your sins be forgiven thee. There in this passage is the sick man's friends. When we can be a blessing to others by expressing faith, that's what Paul's doing. If you say, hey, I believe God, and you might be tempted to not say that cuz you think nobody cares. But guess what? Your faith when it's expressed sincerely with honesty and integrity like Paul's doing here, even the secular world might be tempted to think, maybe I should have a little bit of that faith.

I've seen that over and over in my years of ministry is just talk even talking to non-believing people almost as if they have faith. You know, you and I tend to shy away and say, well, I don't want to be too Christian or too holy Joe or say too many biblical things. I think that's a mistake. There's something about a person who loves Jesus and believes God. And as they talk about that with confidence, even the secularists would say, there's something attractive. There's something right. And I can't nail it down, but it's infectious. I think that's what we're seeing here.

Don't forget your role. You are a chosen royal priesthood. We're We're told that at 1 Peter 2:9, but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. That's what Paul is. He's being a priest in a sense of What does a priest do? Representing the Lord to the people. That's what the Old Testament priest did. We, Paul, the church, we are a peculiar royal holy nation, a royal priesthood. And hopefully we by our lifestyle are calling people out of darkness into his marvelous light.

That's what Paul's doing here which is pretty cool. Literally the priests were supposed to do this. What was Aaron and his son supposed to do really quick? Numbers 6:22, and the Lord spake to Moses saying, speak to Aaron to his son saying, on this wise you shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them, the Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee. The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel and I will bless them.

I love that's what we're supposed to do. We should be walking around saying, hey, the Lord bless thee and keep thee. May cause his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. We're to encourage others, bolster other people's faith. And I think that's happening in this story pretty radically. Moms and dads, how are you doing? Are you demonstrating faith to your children or are your kids worried? Some of you maybe aren't good at keeping stuff that should be expressions of faith. You're telling your kids, oh, we're broke and we don't know if your dad's going to be able to pay the bills this month and pray, we may not have any food this month.

Can I just say, that's not the way of the Lord. You should say, boy, isn't it amazing how the Lord even though sometimes things are thin and we don't have money, the Lord is always been faithful to provide for us and we have no reason to fear. That's a mom talking to her five-year-old. That's going to be an infectious faith that will be with that child the rest of their life. I'm just saying, what Paul's doing here is such a giant example for you and me of how we're to live especially among non-believing people, but around our family, our church friends, let's be like Paul.

Tap into the joy, hold on to the promises of God's word and live with the confidence, not in ourselves, but in the Lord. Amen. So what happens to Paul? We'll pick that up in our study in verse 38.

Guest (Male): Well, though Pastor Brad Metter has come to the end of our study in Acts chapter 27 today, the apostle Paul's role as an example of trusting in the hand of the Lord is far from over. And you'll want to be along next time for more in today's word. But first Brad Metter is the senior pastor of Atheist Creek Church just outside of Portland, Oregon. Each episode of today's word serves to enrich your understanding of God's word and supports your ongoing spiritual journey. If you missed any portion of our study, you'll find all of Pastor Brad's messages online at today's wordradio.com.

You can also watch full video messages from him by going to today's wordradio.com. I also want to mention that if you'd like to share your story of how God has changed your life through these daily studies, you can email us at info at today's wordradio.com. That's info at today's wordradio.com. Well, here again is Pastor Brad Metter to conclude today's message leading us in a brief word of prayer.

Brett Meador: Well, Lord, we're so thankful for uh this great reminder for us, Lord. What a story. But the the story really is only beginning. It gets uh even more crazier, but how thankful I am for Paul's example. I pray that you'd help us to rise above our fears and our anxieties and all the things we tend to major on and lean into. Help us to lean into the promises of your word. Help us to trust even as Paul said, uh be of good cheer. I believe God. Lord, I I pray that that would literally be our attitude that we could walk around telling people, be of good cheer.

I believe God. Everything he says, everything his word tells us. Lord, thankful Paul said that. And I pray that we would do that in turn in our lives. Give us faith. And Lord, I do pray that we'd let our faith become infectious to others. So bless these people who study your word. May it bring forth good fruit in Jesus' name. Amen.

Guest (Male): Amen. Pastor Brad Metter closing our time here on today's word. And that's all the time we have. Next time Pastor Brad will continue another verse by verse study in the book of Acts. Today's word with Pastor Brad Metter is an outreach of Atheist Creek Church in West Lynn, Oregon.