ACTS 27

When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete. Acts 27:13

There is no fail-safe way in Christian life. Many times we have the temporary bouts of comfort when our ship sails smoothly, failing to understand that the smooth sail would soon end in a violent tempest. How often we rush through decisions when we sense a trace of favorable conditions. Our intelligence, experience, knowledge, strength and wisdom all put together will never equal the omniscience of the Almighty. Yet we have our plans and schema to run our Christian lives. In ministry, a favorable wind will pump enough adrenalin that we lose the sense of depending on God completely. The captain, helmsman, the centurion, and the merchants felt the same when the south wind blew. They thought that they had received what they have waited for. They ventured out. It was time not to venture out but to winter. Is this not true in our lives? When we are supposed to be on our knees in the presence of the loving Lord, when we are supposed to feed on the living word, when we are supposed to meditate upon His goodness, when we are supposed to rest and enjoy the fullness of joy that is in His presence, we venture out. Our Christian life is so hectic, it is filled with a lot of Christians except Christ. Oh, how many times we have discounted the Lord so that we could say “hi” to somebody? How many time we asked the Lord to wait until we answered our emails? How many times we were caught in the thick of all these activities and patted our own backs saying, “well done.” It is sometimes good that God allows us to go through these experiences, He doesn’t impose His will, but he doesn’t leave us without warning us of the consequences we would face if we bypassed His will. O Christian, how are you today? If the circumstances around you are encouraging to get busy in activities, have you asked the Lord, “Lord is this the same south wind that encouraged the centurion and the captain of the Alexandrian ship to set out on the perilous journey or is it something from you?”

But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon. So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. Acts 27:14-15

As we set sail on life’s journey, there are many tempestuous winds that arise. Oh yes, we may enjoy the comfort, peace, and serenity for a while; however, these things would not last forever. A Christian is never allowed to settle in this world. A Christian is called out of the world, and to journey in the world, but never be a part of the world. Remember the Israelites, not long after they crossed the Red Sea they came to Elim where there were twelve water wells and seventy palm trees. Humanly speaking, twelve water wells for twelve tribes of Israel. How meaningful it would be? But the Lord didn’t allow them to stay there for a long time; they had to march forward. Had they stayed back, they wouldn’t have inherited the Promised Land. From Elim they had to enter the wilderness of Sin. Oh yes, there would be times of refreshing, times of comfort, times of coziness, times of ease, times of rest in Christian life, but be aware soldier you are not allowed to settle down. You will be soon shaken from the position, as the eagle stirs up its nest and carries its young on its wings, so the Lord will stir up your nest. You may have long settled in the place where you are. Your ministry is thriving, you are successful in your job, you have no dearth of whatsoever manner in this world, you are about to say God has really blessed me, remember a greater test awaits you now. Notice the phrase in these verses ‘but not long after.’ But not long after, we have enjoyed the peace, abundance, rest and joy, a time comes when the accuser goes and says, has this child of Yours followed You for no reason, haven’t You blessed him in all that he clings to You. This is the time God takes things quite seriously, this is the time where He challenges the enemy, I have known my child, he is and will be faithful to me. This is the time when the wind arises. On one hand, it is to prove whether you would cling to God even in your adverse conditions, and on the other hand, it is your own folly of not heeding God’s words that brings you into these circumstances. The wind will be so strong that you would not be in a position to steer or head into it. Many times, we try to confront the situation in our own might; we want to take the bull by its horns; we want to pass out this phase as quickly as we can; still the tempest is too strong for you life to handle that you would be forced to be driven by it. Oh yes, your life has to be driven O Christian to make you understand that you could do nothing apart from Christ.

How often were we in these circumstances, life was running smooth, but not long after, the loss of a dear one, an accident, a sickness, a financial loss; we struggled to overcome these, but in vain. We’d be taught that the time is not to wriggle and struggle but to be driven, to be led by the wind, to acknowledge our nothingness, to wait patiently upon the Lord. See the wisdom of the sailors and the captain, they let the ship be driven by the wind. They were men mighty, who were seasoned by many a rough weather, yet they acknowledge their helplessness of overcoming and allow the wind to carry them out. They were playing safe by sailing close to Crete. You were also playing safe by treading on known grounds. This doesn’t fulfill God’s purposes. Familiarity breeds contempt and also over confidence. They were carried away by the wind or rather they allowed to be driven by the wind. Let us learn from these sailors, when life seems to be unfair, when the wind seems to be stronger than you are, know that God has allowed this so that you be away from familiar grounds.

And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. Acts 27:18

Why? You may ask. Why does God allow such circumstances in our lives? Is HE a killjoy? Doesn’t he want us to live in peace? Why on earth does He allow such things in our lives? Many of us without any exception have already questioned God innumerable times in our lives. When we read the 18^th verse last part the next day they lightened the ship. Oh yes, this is the reason why we tempests are allowed in our lives. God allowed us to rest at Elim, God did allow us to enjoy material blessings apart from the spiritual blessings. What did you and I do at that time? Oh we craved for the cucumbers, garlic, and onions of Egypt. We knew that soon after the rest, there would be testing times, so we wanted to play safe; we gathered enough of unwanted things into our lives. Now our life ship is full of cargo, unwanted things, displeasing things in the sight of God. God would have spoken to us many times through His servants asking us to get rid of these things. Did we pay heed then? No, we said this message is not for me, further what I have gathered, I have done in honesty and utmost sincerity. Self-righteousness crept in, hypocrisy crept in, what not crept in is difficult to name. Our trust in God was gradually replaced by our trust in our wealth, abilities, knowledge, and skills. God had to and has to allow such tempests so that you and I realize that what we are carrying in our lives aren’t as important or as precious as our lives. We would be forced to throw them away. They belong to the sea of this world; they don’t belong to our lives. Often we are at crossroads, what to choose and what not to. God brings us into this situation. He says today I have set before you life and death, choose life that you may live. Oh Christian, have you lightened your ship? How much junk are you carrying in it? is not the present tempest enough for you? Do you want to be exceedingly tempest-tossed? Why cling onto those things which work death in you? How long would you despise the counsel and the love of the Father and the Lord? Why don’t you throw the things and lighten your ship? If not you’d shipwreck, great would be the loss. See the sailors and merchants; their very lives depended on the merchandise they were carrying; in spite of the risk of losing their livelihood, incurring huge losses, going bankrupt, they decided to do away with the cargo and lighten their ship. Are you not wiser than them? Would you lose your livelihood? No. Would you incur a huge loss? No.Would you go bankrupt? No. You would enjoy the joy and peace of the Lord. You would tread the path to eternal life. Why do you want to clog your life with these unwanted things? God and you alone know what you are supposed to get rid of. Why don’t you do that now? The next day they lightened the ship.

On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands. Acts 27:19

Now we come to a more interesting phase. After getting rid of the unwanted things in our lives, let us not become complacent. This isn’t enough. No doubt, you’ve got rid of the unwanted things but still you have the ship’s tackle in your hands. What does this mean? You’ve got all the equipment to run the ship in your hands. Oh Christian, have you forgotten the fact that it is no longer you that lives in you but Christ. Is he not the Lord? Is he not the Head? Is he not the final authority in and on your life? Throw away the tackle. You have sailed enough with your strength. Now your life has to depend completely on His guidance. He won’t be satisfied with you discarding the things that displease Him. There is another step ahead. Your life has to be steered by Him and by Him alone. On the third day, what is the day in your life, the third day, three hundredth day, or three thousandth day. The sailors were wise enough to throw away the tackle. They knew that they could not tackle the tempest with their tackle. They knew the ship would not ply anymore on their strength; therefore, they discarded all control of the ship. Aren’t you wiser than them? Come now unto the Lord’s feet, tell Him your story, acknowledge that so far you have steered your life and it has got you into deeper troubles than before. Ask His forgiveness, He is willing to restore everything to you. One condition a complete surrender of your will and self, you need to throw away the tackle with your own hands.

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. Acts 27:20

How gloomy it would be your day is dark as night and the night is a horror. No sun by day, no stars by night, clouds covering the skies. You are saying Christian, “Lord I have got rid of the unwanted things, I have surrendered my will and self and have thrown away the tackle of the ship; still you seem to be far away. You seem to be nowhere. I am unable to recognize the day from night.” The sailors were no different from you. who were all in the ship at that time – Paul the apostle, Luke the doctor, Julius the centurion, the captain, the soldiers, the merchants, and the prisoners. They had given up hope. The Lord says “My hand is not shortened that I cannot save you neither is my ear deaf that I cannot hear you. Your transgressions have come in between you and me.” David prays to God asking His protection so that he may not fall into presumptuous sins and secret faults. If a man after God’s own heart pleads guilty; how much more you and I men and women after our own hearts should plead?

Have you come to a point where every minute is filled with despair and hopelessness? Have you come to a point where your very breath is heavy on your face? Have you come to a point where yesterday, today and tomorrow carry no meaning to you? Have you come to a point where you are cornered and attacked by your own and outsiders alike? Have you come to a point where you have given up all hope of being saved? Come my brother/ sister, you and I have hope. Oh see the psalmist in psalm125 - those who trust in the Lord shall be like Mount Zion which shall not be moved. Trust in the Lord. This is a passing phase. The sufferings that you are undergoing now are working a greater reward for you. Your brothers and sisters elsewhere in the world are also partakers of the same sufferings; you and I are no exception to it. How can we be conformed to Christ’s image if we shrink whenever the hammer and chisel are laid on us? Don’t you know that God works when we cease to work? Don’t you know that the eaglet which is about to hit the ground had already given up hope and heading towards it sure death when its mother swoops down and carries it back to the nest? Oh yes, one more day you would say everything’s gone. But don’t you know that Jonah had he stayed one extra hour in the fish’s belly would have died? Didn’t God bring him out at the right time? Oh yes, you and I may not see the mysterious ways, He works for us. Our God who has promised “I will never leave the nor forsake thee” is no liar. In him dwells all truth. Hope in the Lord. Oh my soul why have you disquieted yourself, hope in the Lord Psalm 42.

Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved. Acts 27:31

Has life become too weary to carry it any forward? Have you decided to give up? The day and night are alike. The darkness of broad daylight has outrun that of the night. You want to escape life’s ordeals. Take heed, unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved. Unless you stay in the ship, you cannot be saved. The ship is tossed. The ships controls are gone. The ship is going to wreck. The ship is headed towards an unknown direction. Yet the commandment is unless you stay in the ship, you cannot be saved. Noah was he not in the ark? Eleven months, he and his family were shut in the ark. No day, no night, but a day came much before Noah thought of the Lord remembered Noah. Before Noah cried out unto the Lord the Lord remembered him. Before you ask, your Father knows what things you have need of. Before you look up to heavens and beat your chest, your Father knows what things you need. Christ is your stay. You cannot and must not step out of Him. Oh remember Hymenaeus and Alexander, what happened to them? They abandoned their faith and were shipwrecked. You may be tempted to go back to your old ways. You may say all was well when I was on my own. My troubles have multiplied after accepting Christ. I’d better go back. I’ll have no more of Christ or Christianity. Let me tell you one thing, those were the days when things were going well, at the same time, death was looming large on you. Your life would have been sucked out any point of time. Satan had raised his sword on you; he was about to severe your life from you. at that point of time, the Lord interceded for you. He bought you with His blood. Today with all these troubles, trials, and tribulations life eternal is your prize. It cannot be taken away from you. Do you still want to leave the ship? The choice is yours. You can leave, but you will lose your life. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will save it. Mark :35 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? Mark 8:36

O Christian, therefore don’t go back to your former ways. Don’t leave the ship. Don’t step out of the ark of your salvation.

And the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land. Acts 27:44

Finally, the mainstay of your life is going for one last treatment. The ship you have sailed so far has to be wrecked. The empires that you have built; the properties that you have acquired; the power and position that you have gained; the riches you have gathered; time has come for all these for the final treatment and thereafter is life. Are you willing to undergo one final treatment from the Lord? All that you have, you have to forego. Are you willing for this experience? No matter how hard you try to save your life, it is of no avail. The ship of your life will be broken and you have to cross over the Jordan. As we reach the threshold of life, death seems to be inevitable. You’d say a few more days O Lord. But the Lord says son enough of trials, let the ship wreck, sail on the plank you will escape safely to land. No matter how hard you cling the ship of your life will break. Oh yes, do you see there are two seas meeting. The currents are strong. The sea of life and the sea of death, the struggle is strong. The ship has to be and will be broken. But Christian take courage, you will reach land safely. Oh yes, as we pass through these phases, when we are all alone, drifting on a plank or on a board, with the sea and the waves tossing us around, a high and a low, when the very bowels of our belly are churned, when our heart would say, master I don’t want to beat anymore, I’m already dead, when the eyelids shut hard not to see the next tossing, Christian hang on you are very close to the shore. The world may be merry making, you are hanging on to your dear life, Christian hang on, the shore is very near. The dear ones and the loved ones are drifting from your sight, your eyes are growing dimmer and dimmer, your body is pleading mercy, your soul doesn’t know whom to justify, it is a place of two seas meeting, o Christian hang on the shore is near, the Lord is near. They all escaped safely to land. So shall you, your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me says the Lord. Jeremiah 39:18. No harm shall befall you. Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the ages. Matthew 28:20

May the Loving Lord bless you and keep you as the apple of His eye.

As tides of life rise against me,

My ship wants to part its ways with me,

My faith, O Lord I pray, be strengthened by Thy stay

I may not see night or day, but Lord you are near today.