Acts 27:13-38
13 When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their opportunity; so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14 Before very long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island. 15 The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along. 16 As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure, 17 so the men hoisted it aboard. Then they passed ropes under the ship itself to hold it together. Because they were afraid they would run aground on the sandbars of Syrtis, they lowered the sea anchor[a] and let the ship be driven along. 18 We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved.
21 After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: “Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss. 22 But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed. 23 Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me 24 and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ 25 So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me. 26 Nevertheless, we must run aground on some island.”
27 On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic[b] Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land. 28 They took soundings and found that the water was a hundred and twenty feet[c] deep. A short time later they took soundings again and found it was ninety feet[d] deep. 29 Fearing that we would be dashed against the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight. 30 In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. 31 Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away.
33 Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. 34 Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” 35 After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. 36 They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 Altogether there were 276 of us on board. 38 When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.
Surrendering Our Desires to God During Life’s Storms
The apostle Paul faced one of the most perilous storms of his life while being escorted to Rome by Centurion Julius (Acts 27:1). As they sailed across the Mediterranean Sea aboard an Alexandrian ship, a ferocious Northeaster descended upon them. The once-tranquil waters transformed into a raging hurricane, with waves crashing against the ship's hull. The terrified and exhausted passengers clung to hope for at least two weeks. Yet, with each passing hour, their spirits dwindled, and despair began to set in. The ship was in such dire peril that they ultimately lost all hope of being saved (Acts 27:20).
The sailors, realizing the gravity of their situation, sprang into action. Their first rescue attempt involved jettisoning the cargo and the ship’s tackle (Acts 27:18-19), which tumbled into the churning sea with a thunderous splash. As the ship grew lighter, it began to drift away from the storm, carrying with it a glimmer of hope for survival. After fourteen nights adrift in the Adriatic Sea, the sailors attempted to abandon the ship, leaving the passengers behind. Paul then said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” So the soldiers cut the ropes holding the lifeboat and allowed it to drift away (Acts 27:31-32). Surprisingly, Julius heeded Paul's advice, trusting the prisoner over the experienced sailors. Despite being a prisoner, Paul demonstrated strong faith in God and became a symbol of hope.
As the 276 of them gathered around, Paul broke bread on board. The act of sharing the bread and giving thanks seemed to unite them, strengthening their faith in Jesus Christ. The next rescue attempt was even more dramatic as they threw their grain into the sea to further lighten the ship (Acts 27:38).
Jesus also examined His followers during a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee. He asked them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). In the scene of calming the storm, there are three types of followers on the boat: (1) Self-reliant people— (2) Observers; and (3) Jesus’ disciples. Each group represents a unique relationship with Jesus. Group 1 followers are distant from Christ. Group 2 followers are observers, close enough to see His movements. Group 3 followers are Jesus’ disciples, closest to Him and willing to pay the price to follow. Similarly, on the Alexandrian ship, there were three groups of people: (1) the self-reliant sailors; (2) the centurion and soldiers as observers; and (3) Paul and his companions as Jesus’ disciples.
Jesus also examined His followers during a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee. He asked them, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). In the story of Jesus calming the storm, perhaps there were some self-reliant sailors on board. Perhaps there were some observers mixed in among Jesus’ disciples. We might imagine these three groups as distant followers, those close enough to observe his movements, and those disciples closest to Him, willing to pay the price of following Him. Similarly, on the Alexandrian ship, there were three groups of people: (1) the self-reliant sailors; (2) the centurion and soldiers as observers; and (3) Paul and his companions as Jesus’ disciples.
The self-reliant sailors were solely dependent on their own abilities and placed their faith in themselves rather than in Christ. They overlooked the divine rescue plan in favor of their own, even attempting to escape the ship in an unprofessional manner. In contrast, the centurion and soldiers—initially mere observers of the chaos—gradually recognized their limitations and yearned for divine intervention. Witnessing the unwavering faith and resilience of Paul and his companions inspired them to seek a deeper connection with God. The spirit of community fostered by Paul and his companions—exemplified by their shared bread and prayers—played a crucial role in uniting the passengers and instilling a sense of hope.
This transformation of onlookers from passive observers to active followers of Jesus is a powerful testament to the strength of faith and the lasting impact of a strong Christian community. Undoubtedly, Paul and his companions exemplify what it means to be Jesus’ disciples, trusting the words of the angel (Acts 27:23) and following divine guidance.
Interestingly, three symbolic items are thrown overboard during the shipwreck: (1) cargo/ship’s tackle (a source of income), (2) lifeboat (a self-rescue plan), and (3) food/grain (physical needs). These discarded items are a personal reminder to abandon our own rescue attempts and focus on Jesus Christ during life’s storms. We must be willing to let go of our comfort zones, our plans for self-rescue, and our personal desires.
One of the most significant storms I faced in my life was being laid off from the IT industry, which ultimately led me to discern God's calling. My IT skills had been my primary source of income, and I had worked for the same company in Vancouver on the Pacific coast for 17 years—my comfort zone. Jesus urged me to leave that comfort zone to serve in Halifax on the Atlantic coast. During my period of unemployment, I considered shifting my career to house inspection, drawing on my mechanical engineering background. However, I soon realized this was more of a self-rescue plan than God's true plan for me. Eventually, I received a call to shepherd a Chinese church in Halifax, responding to the sense of mission of the C&MA Ministry. The Sea to Sea initiative emphasizes that Canada itself should be a missional focus for the Alliance Church.
Moving from Vancouver to Halifax required us to adjust to a smaller city with reduced access to resources, especially when it came to personal needs like cultural foods. There were times when we found ourselves shipping Asian food from Vancouver just to satisfy our cravings. During this challenging transition, Jesus taught me a valuable lesson about letting go of my own desires, helping me learn to rely on Him wholeheartedly. This experience transformed my perspective, showing me the importance of faith and adaptability in the face of life’s storms.
Author Bio:
Wai Fung Chow
Westwood Alliance Church
https://www.westwoodac.org
Luke and Acts taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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