When It Sinks

The Apostle Paul gave some bad news and some good news.

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Transcript

When it Sinks

by Eric Engelmann

All content © 2024 Static Force, LLC

When are we?

During the ministry of Paul the Apostle. Around AD 60. This is after Jesus has risen from the dead, and before John has written the Gospel According tp John.

Where are we?

Off the coast of Malta -- a rocky island about sixty miles south of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea.

Why are we here now?

Most of Malta is surrounded by cliffs and rocks. The title of this podcast is “Gospel According to the Rock.”

I’m hoping a church I’m close to will take parts of this message and be encouraged by God.

We all might learn about shipwrecks from what God is about to do for Paul and the men aboard the ship in Acts 27. Maybe we can apply what we learn to our lives in troubled times – if and when they occur.

Some History

Some years ago, Paul wrote the second letter to the Corinthians. In it he said he’d been shipwrecked three times. The shipwreck on Malta hasn’t happened yet.

On board the ship are the ship’s captain, the crew, an army commander, his troops, their captives – including Paul – and others —  like Paul’s friends.

Paul is not the lone believer aboard this ship. Luke, Aristarchus, and others are aboard the ship with him. 

Scripture

Acts 27:29-41

Verse 29 Fearing that we would run aground on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for daylight.

Note: Some anchors at this time are rocks tied to ropes. Some are metal. Some are both.

Verse 30 As the sailors were trying to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, pretending that they would lay out anchors from the bow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these stay in the ship, you can’t be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let it fall off.

Note: Paul has gained a little respect on the ship. The crew members who want to abandon ship are being forced by God to stay and do their jobs for the whole community.

Verse 33 While the day was coming on, Paul begged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.” 

Note: The storm is bad enough that many people are fasting. As Paul has fasted and prayed in the Name of Jesus, so have Luke, Aristarchus and others. Paul continues:

Verse 34 “Therefore I beg you to take some food; for this is for your safety; for not a hair will perish from any of your heads.” 35 When he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all, then he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then they all cheered up, and they also took food.

37 In all, we were two hundred seventy-six souls on the ship. 38 When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. 39 When it was day, they didn’t recognize the land, but they noticed a certain bay with a beach, and they decided to try to drive the ship onto it.

Verse 42 The soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim out and escape. 43 But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stopped them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should throw themselves overboard first to go toward the land; 44 and the rest should follow, some on planks, and some on other things from the ship. So they all escaped safely to the land.

(Acts 27: 29-44)

That's the end of the passage.

The troops had reason to kill their captives, since there was a high penalty for letting a prisoner escape.

As Paul had fasted and prayed in Jesus’ Name, so did Luke, Aristarchus and others. Everyone aboard the ship lived.

In the Future

The people on the shore will work together to build a fire to keep warm. A snake will bite Paul, but he won’t have any ill effects.

Further in the future, Luke will write this story in the Acts of the Apostles, now part of the New Testament after the four Gospels (including the Gospel of Luke).

I have heard a minister named Roland Buck say there were angels on assignment at this shipwreck to make sure every passenger had something to grab and have a way to the shore.

Further in the future, believers in Jesus will fast, pray and work together. May He continue to command His angels concerning us to guard us in all our ways, in Jesus’ Name.

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