The ungodly have nothing solid upon which to make decisions. They go by feelings or circumstantial evidence. However, they have nothing solid to work from. Those who are saved know that the goal posts are always changing for the lost. We have seen that in Canada over the past two years. The government and health officials claim that we have never faced anything like this before. They plotted this entire event and then they implemented it. Man has the capacity to plan evil things. He does not have the capacity to control the outcome of the evil he plots. Man tries to push God out of his life and pretends to be God. However, God proves man wrong in every act of rebellion man plots.
In our text we see that the captain and the centurion were intent on sailing further. In verse 13 we see that there was a soft south wind that blew in such a way that these men were convinced now was the time to set sail. They tried to play it safe by staying close to land.
We read in verse 14 that this soft wind was short lived. That soft wind was soon replaced by a tempestuous wind called Euroclydon. The word translated as Euroclydon means “a violent agitation”. It was a south east wind which would raise mighty waves.
We know from the Gospel accounts that the disciples would be in the Sea of Galilee and the Sea appeared to be calm when they started out but then it would become a very violent body of water with the wind whipping up the waves so that these experienced fishermen would fear death. Several times Jesus had to calm the troubled Sea for them to be able to make their voyage successfully. The disciples were in awe of Jesus. They had never experienced any man being able to calm the wind and the Sea. Jesus demonstrated His power over His creation.
These sailors and the centurion would come to realize as well that even though they did not believe in God, He was in charge.
In verse 15 we see that the wind was so strong that they could not work with it. They had to let the wind drive the ship. All they could do was try to keep the ship from being torn to pieces. We see in verse 16 that they had all they could do to keep the ship from crashing into the island of Clauda. We read in verse 17 that they had to use helps to strengthen the ship and keep it from being destroyed. They also put up the sail to keep the ship moving so they would not get stuck in the quicksand. They were not in control of this situation at all. They were simply trying to survive this violent storm.
In verse 18 we see they had to start throwing things overboard to try to save the ship. They needed to make it lighter to be able to keep it higher in the water. This would help to keep them from running aground, but it would also make the ship easier for the wind to toss around.
Verse 19 tells us that they were now in their third day of trying to survive in the midst of this storm. On that day they threw overboard the tackling of the ship. Verse 20 tells us that they did not see the sun nor the stars for many days. Without that they would not know what course they were on. Even these tried and tested seamen were losing hope of surviving this storm. What a helpless situation they were in.
This is a picture of where most of society is at today. Most are trying their best to face the storms of life on their own. They have developed various theories of what works and what does not. They have faced some “soft winds” that blew favourably and they assumed they had struck the right course. Unexpectedly, a storm came up and they tried their best to weather the storm and get back to the favourable winds, but it did not happen. It came to the place where all hope was lost. Unlike our account, many perish in the storms of life. Some fight the storms for many years. They seem to make it through one but then another one comes along. They cry out to the government for help and they gain the sympathy of other lost people who have also fought storms. They think things are still bearable because they have all these “helps”. However, eventually time runs out and they perish in their self-will.
Our account shows us that all hope would have been lost for these men if it had not been for one man in particular. As we noted already, Luke was there as well. We do not know if Aristarchus sailed all the way to Rome, but Luke did. However, the man that God worked through here was Paul. Paul was the bold saved person who was not deterred by the threat of death, or the assumed power of the soldiers, or even the supposed experience of the master and captain of the ship. Paul was a faithful servant of God who had given wise counsel to these men earlier. That counsel had been ignored. Now Paul was given further opportunity to remind these men of who was in charge.
In verse 21 we see that Paul had waited for God’s timing on this matter. After long abstinence, he stood forth in the midst of the people and politely but boldly addressed them. He reminded them that they should have listened to him and not left Crete. He reminded them of the loss they had already suffered.
In verse 22 Paul advised them that they should not loose heart over the situation. He reminded them that there would be no loss of life, but they were going to lose the ship. There is always a cost to rejecting God’s way. Many times it ends with the loss of life. Sometimes it involves the loss of things in the hope that people would wake up and see the need to turn to God. In this case, God was going to give the people another opportunity to turn to Him. However, they were going to lose the ship. The owner would be out his investment. He would also lose the profit he would have made on delivering that load of grain. The centurion would need to fight for his own survival just as the prisoners he was guarding had to.
In verse 23 Paul gave further detail regarding his authority to speak. God had sent an angel to him the night before. Paul reminded these desperate and tired men that he was a servant of the true God. While they were fighting in the flesh, he was serving the true and living God. He had a hope that they lacked.
In verse 24 Paul relayed the message the angel had given him. These proud and tough men may not have wanted to hear Paul’s message, but Paul was a servant of God, not of men. He spoke boldly and plainly. The angel of God had assured Paul that he must stand before Caesar. He was also assured that all the others on the ship would be spared because of him. This one godly man was going to have a positive impact on the entire crew and passengers. God does not need an army to accomplish His goals. He does not need anyone to accomplish His goals. He chooses to look for a man who will walk humbly with Him and glorify Him. He uses that man to help others to see their need to turn to Him as well.
We have had opportunity to trust in God during the violent storm of the past two years. God does not need an army to prove Himself strong at this time either. He is looking for a man who will walk humbly with Him and be that light for others to see the importance of trusting in the true God.
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