The God Ordained Storm (Journey to Rome pt 1)

Then Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."... 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. 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. 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... And there the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy, and he put us on board. (Acts 26:32; 27:1-6)

When God plans your path straight into a storm, He has purposes you may not see until the waters calm.

Starting the Journey to Rome

We are beginning a new series in Acts called Journey to Rome, following Paul through chapters 27 and 28 as he sails from Caesarea to Rome and is shipwrecked along the way. We started the book of Acts back in November of 2008, so we've moved slowly—but the end is finally in sight.

The drama unfolds from the opening words of chapter 27: "And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy." The next forty-four verses, and on into chapter 28, describe events that were decided and planned by others—Festus, Julius the centurion—and yet, behind the scenes, the hands of God are at work. His fingerprints are all over it.

Sometimes Our Path Is Planned for Us

Have you ever been in a storm—not a weather pattern, but one of life's storms? A situation that seemed hopeless and helpless, where you were carried along by others, pointing out the dangers, saying "I don't think this is a good plan," but you had no choice? If you can identify with that, you can identify with Paul here.

The first point on the outline is this: sometimes our path is planned for us. But as you study the Scriptures, you can almost cross out the word "sometimes." Paul later wrote to the Ephesians:

For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:8-10)

A thousand years before Paul, David wrote in Psalm 37:23, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord." Solomon, given great wisdom, wrote in Proverbs 16:9, "A man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps," and again in Proverbs 20:24, "A man's steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way?" Our steps are planned. Our path is planned.

A Culture That Resists Being Directed

There is something in our sinful nature that resists this, and we live in a nation that resists it too. In a few days we celebrate Independence Day, but over more than 230 years we've stretched independence to mean that every individual is utterly self-determinate. We see it in the youngest children. My two-year-old daughter Evangeline says it constantly: "I do it all by myself"—until she can't, and then, rarely, she admits she needs help.

Because of the fall, we want to be the captain of our own ship and the determiner of our own destiny. The idea that God directs the affairs of humanity bothers many people. There's even a long-standing debate in the church between the Calvinists, who hold a strong view of God's sovereignty, and the Arminians, who emphasize man's will and responsibility. Both are sincere Christians, and both truths are revealed in Scripture. There is a way—mysterious to us, but clear to God—where the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man come together.

In our day this resistance has reached the point where people say, "I will determine for myself my sexual identity and gender." That is man saying, "You will not rule over me; I will determine who I am." Yet Scripture is clear: our path is planned for us, and sometimes God plans that path to lead straight into the perfect storm.

Why Would God Lead Me Into a Storm?

When I consider that, the first question that rises is why—why would God direct me into a crisis, a trauma, a hard thing? Many of us, looking back with the clarity of hindsight, can see how God directed events, yet in the moment we still ask why. I've always been one of those inquisitive people; my dad said the question I asked most as a child was "why, why, why." I'm still asking it, and it probably drives my Father in heaven crazy too.

The New Living Translation renders Proverbs 20:24, "The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?" Which brings us to the second point: God uses storms to bring salvation.

God Uses Storms to Bring Salvation

Some of you would not be here today were it not for a storm—a difficult diagnosis, a separation, a loss—something dramatic that brought you to the point of saying, "I don't know where else to turn, so I'm going to church." God often uses storms to bring His salvation, or a greater revelation of who He is.

We see this in the gospels. Jesus told His tired disciples to get in the boats and cross the Sea of Galilee. A great storm arose, and they did everything in their own power to bail and to keep the boat afloat—just like us. Finally, at their wits' end, they woke Jesus and cried, "Don't you care? I'm dying here." He stood and said, "Peace, be still," and there was calm. The result was a greater revelation: "Who is this, that even the winds and the waves obey His voice?" God uses storms to bring salvation and to reveal Himself.

Set on a Ship for Rome

Festus, who came to power in the summer of A.D. 60, wanted Paul off his hands. After hearing Paul and after Agrippa heard him in July of A.D. 60, he assigned Paul and other prisoners to Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment, to be taken to Rome.

Paul was not alone. Notice the word "we." Luke—a doctor, a close friend, the author of this book—was aboard, as was Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica who came to faith under Paul's ministry. Many scholars believe the journey began around the middle of August, A.D. 60. That timing matters, because on the Mediterranean sailing was safe from about April to August, borderline from August to mid-November, and avoided altogether from November through March. Paul was already in the borderline window, and the clock was running.

The next day they landed at Sidon, about seventy miles north—a single day's journey. There Julius treated Paul kindly (the Greek word is philanthropos) and gave him liberty to visit his friends and receive care, which implies Paul was ill. This is remarkable, because a Roman centurion would never normally do this—his own life was on the line if a prisoner escaped. Festus must have told him this man was innocent and should be treated kindly.

Contrary Winds and a New Ship

From Sidon they sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, "because the winds were contrary"—antagonistic, blowing from the west, the very direction they needed to go. As one who learned to sail on a Hobie Cat as a kid (my dad bought a sailboat instead of the jet ski I wanted, because "wind is free"), I know how maddening contrary winds can be.

They passed Cilicia—Paul's home region—and Pamphylia and came to Myra, a major trade port. There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy and put them aboard. Paul had no choice. There were no commuter ships on the Mediterranean—only trade and merchant vessels—and a Roman centurion had authority to commandeer part of any boat.

This was a grain ship from Alexandria, Egypt, the granary of the empire. These were huge, single-masted wooden vessels, heavy and sitting low in the water—and unwieldy. We know it was large because verse 37 tells us 276 men were aboard.

The Slow, Dangerous Voyage to Fair Havens

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. Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. (Acts 27:7-8)

Myra to Cnidus is only about sixty miles, but it took many days against the western wind. The most direct route would have passed north of Crete, but the contrary winds pushed this hard-to-maneuver ship south, below the island, until they reached a port with a nice name and a bad reality—Fair Havens.

Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them. (Acts 27:9)

"The Fast" refers to Yom Kippur, which falls in September or October. If this is indeed A.D. 60, we can date this scene precisely: Wednesday, September 22nd, A.D. 60. The season for safe sailing had passed, and Fair Havens, a south-facing port, was a poor place to winter.

Paul's Warning Overruled

Amazingly, this man with no wealth, power, or position—a prisoner—is given the chance to advise the helmsman, the owner, and the centurion. God had given him favor.

Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives. (Acts 27:10)

Paul knew what he was talking about; in 2 Corinthians he tells us he had already been shipwrecked three times. But the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner, and because the harbor was unsuitable for wintering, the majority decided to sail for Phoenix, a better harbor only thirty-five nautical miles away.

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)

Perfect conditions—at last. But not for long.

The God-Ordained Storm Breaks

But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon. (Acts 27:14)

The word "tempestuous" is the Greek typhonikos—hurricane-force winds. This was a well-known wind, a strong northeaster the sailors had named. (You know it's bad when they've named the wind.) It came barreling down from Asia Minor straight against them, and they could not maneuver the great ship into Phoenix.

That brings us to the third point: winds change and storms come—but remember, God has purpose even in storms.

So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty. 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. (Acts 27:15-17)

About twenty-one nautical miles south of Phoenix lies a small island called Cauda. The crew used it as a windbreak, first hauling in the skiff (the small dinghy towed behind, which could swamp and create dangerous drag), then frapping the hull with cables to keep the wooden ship from breaking apart. They dreaded the Syrtis Sands, vast sandbanks where many ships were destroyed, so they put out a sea anchor for drag.

And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our 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 27:18-20)

When Hope Is in Ourselves

That brings us to the fourth point: if our hope is in ourselves, God will allow us to become hopeless—and sometimes He sends storms for that very purpose. If my hope is built on nothing more than Miles DeBenedictis, storms will surely come.

Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters, they see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea... they reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble, and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, so that its waves are still... so He guides them to their desired haven. (Psalm 107:23-30)

Notice—He commands and raises the stormy wind. And when they are at their wits' end, then they cry to the Lord, and He brings them out.

God Makes His People Beacons in the Storm

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. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.'" (Acts 27:21-24)

Paul couldn't resist a gentle "I told you so," but he had earned his credibility. He could speak with such earnestness because an angel had reminded him of what God had already promised back in Acts 23: just as he had witnessed in Jerusalem, so he would witness in Rome.

This is the fifth point: God makes His people beacons in the storm. Every person, Christian or not, goes through storms. If a preacher ever tells you that becoming a Christian means no more storms, he is lying. The difference is that the Christian has hope in God. Jesus said His people are to be like a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden—so that others would see peace, steadfastness, and confidence in the midst of the storm.

Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island. (Acts 27:25-26)

When a Crash Is Inevitable

The sixth point follows: in a storm, sometimes a crash is inevitable. But remember point two—God uses storms to bring salvation. That is exactly what we will see next time as we finish Acts 27 and move into chapter 28.

Perhaps you are tempest-tossed today. Maybe that is the very reason you came to church—you don't yet know what you believe about Jesus, but you're in a crisis. Or maybe you are a Christian in the middle of the storm right now. Remember: our paths are planned for us, and for the Christian, all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

Sometimes God directs us into storms—so that we will see a fresh revelation of who He is, so that misplaced hope in ourselves will be redirected to hope in Him, and so that we can shine for Him in the storm. Read ahead in Acts 27; I think you'll be blessed by what you see.

Closing Prayer

Father God, thank You for Your Word—and for the fact that these things, written two thousand years ago, have application for us right now. There are people standing here going through the worst storm they have ever experienced. I pray that You would help us recognize that even in the midst of it You are doing something, even if we cannot completely understand or grasp it. Lord, give us a greater revelation of who You are, that we would see Your salvation and shine as lights for You in the midst of it. We ask it in Jesus' name, and all God's people said, Amen.