It's prescribed to me to preach this from verses 9 to 20. This passage is about Paul's journey to Italy to appear before Caesar. because he has appealed to Caesar for what he has preached. And the religious leader at that time accused him of preaching against Caesar. Yeah, of course, that was a false accusation. And so he has to appeal to Caesar. And this passage we have read here, Chapter 9, is the time where he bought a boat from near Palestine that time and on his way to Rome. Now while he was there going to abort the ship, and then he had this premonition, or in other words, God probably has given him to know that the passage to Rome is not without difficulties. Paul, you see, God has grant him the knowledge that this passage will be dangerous. And Paul has warned the ship captain, even the centurion, regarding the owners of the boat also that they should not make this trip because it will meet with difficulties. But the ship owners and the people and the shippers listen to the others, the ship owner listen to his own thinking that they should not make this trip. And Paul say you should not because while you make this trip you will face a lot of problem. You might even lose the ship and And they did not, they hear, they took Paul, they consider Paul as an ordinary person. Although he's a servant of God, they don't believe. They listen to the sailors, the captain of the ship, the owner of the ship. And the owner is thinking of his prophet. And so they thought that it is, they try their best, they will go. And Paul told them, you better not. And so they went. At first, there was a slow wind. The wind was quite good. They thought the wind was favoring them. And you look in verse, chapter 27, and verse 9 onwards. And then after a while, after a while, the wind came. The wind, a strong wind. came and blew against the ship. And so we are at this point where they are facing the storm. Now let us look at it here in Acts Chapter 9. In Acts Chapter 9, let us see what it says there. Acts chapter 27 beginning from verse 9. Acts chapter 27 beginning from verse 9. This is where Paul's journey to Italy. then fulfilled that, then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah, the prophet saying, they took 30, sorry, this is, oh, it's Acts. So, all right, I got it wrong, passage, book. Verse nine, sorry, of chapter 27, Acts 27. must die. Yes. Now when much time was spent and when sailing was now dangerous because the fast was already, now already passed and Paul admonished them. Now the ship owners, they all felt that There was no danger. Yes, at that time, at that very time when they were living at the time, there was a slow wind and they thought the wind was for them and they sailed along the shore and they passed. Although Paul has warned them that it is dangerous. Anyway, that's where in verse 9 it says, when sailing was now dangerous, Paul has admonished them and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the leading of the ship, not only lading and the ship. That means the lading, that means the cargo, the things in the ship, and the ship itself. Because in other words here, Paul was saying that it will face very temperatures, a very strong wind, storm, and only of the lading. all our lives, but also our lives. So there were other prisoners with them, the sailors also with them, and then Paul himself. And so because of this great wind, that storm is coming, which Paul has warned them. How did Paul know this? Well, Paul has been traveling around that region for many years. I think at the same time, God has given him the privilege to know this because he has appealed to go to see Caesar. And this is the boat that he took in order to go to see Caesar. And God makes sure that he will go to Caesar. And at the same time, he got this understanding that this trip may be aborted. There will be a strong wind. And that's why he shared this with the mariners, with the captain of the ship, and the owner of the ship, and even the centurion. And they all will listen to the to the sailors, they think that it's all right for them to travel the ship. But Paul said all these things. Paul is no sailor, you see. Paul was then a preacher. And so they don't. And so they left. And so in verse 9, verse 9 and 10, it says, although Paul has warned them very clearly in verse 10 that they will lose their ship, many things will happen. Verse 11, and because the haven was not commodious to winter in the ... to winter in or they were in this island in a harbor and then the It was not safe to anchor there or to sail from there. And the more part, the more advice to depart them also. And in the more part advice to depart also. if by any means they might attain to Phoenice and there to winter, which is a haven of Crete. So that's near the island of Crete. If you see the Mediterranean mapped in an island of Crete, they were near there. on the way to Rome. And there they tried. They hoped they can find a place where, a harbor in Crete there, and winter there. And the wind may not increase. There was a slow wind at that time. So everything was favorable against what Paul had said. If you go on this journey, you'll face a lot of of trouble. One big wind will be coming and it's not safe. And so in worst time, everything will be okay according to the mariners. And so they went toward the south and northwest. And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they, that means the owners of the ship, the captain of the ship, and all the people who are, they saw the soft wind blowing and they were traveling along the coast of Crete. They thought that it was for them. See? But Paul earlier had warned them. No, this journey is not going to be like that. There'll be a great win. So there was two disconflicting ideas or thought where once Paul, because I believe here God has given Paul that understanding because he was on his way to Rome to see Caesar. because of the religious leaders who have accused him of saying things against Caesar. And Paul appealed to Caesar. And so Paul has to go. And so, but the people there wanted to keep on sailing. Paul said, you should not sail because it will cost lives, also the ship and all this. So in other words, if you say, if you carry on saying, and Paul was afraid that he might not reach Rome. He wanted to go to Rome, you see. I already said that he has appealed to Rome. but the ship owners and the captain of the ship, they want to save the ship, they want to carry on. There was no big wind at that time, just small wind. It was according to their own thinking. It's a good way. So up to verse 10, it says that everything was for them. The wind was for them. Now in verse 13, the thing is happened. And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they have obtained their purpose, loosing them, they sailed close by. So they sailed off from Crete. It was an island in Mediterranean. Verse 14, now this is the important verse. But not long after that arose against it a temperate wind called Eurocliden. So not long after, shortly after. Now we all know, we all know that weather changes anytime. At this moment it would be very nice, wonderful. And Paul has said that at the time, it's okay. But Paul has said that if we carry on, there will be a big storm. God has given him the idea, that is, he warned them, there will be a storm. And it will be a danger to the lives and the cargo that you have, that you have, the things that you have, the cargo that you ship you have, the lives of the people and our life also. And Paul has warned them. Paul is only a preacher. And so the captain of the ship, they are sailors. They have traveled in ships for so long. They know better than Paul. But they left. They carried on. At that time, there was a soft wind. All was favorable. Then in verse 14, but not long after, like the weather which changes anytime. This moment it be very good, and the next moment it could be rain. Yes, we all know that, how weather changes. Sometimes we also, we talk, we tell that person, you are like the weather, you change anytime you like. This moment you are very nice, the next moment you are very angry. This weather is like that. And so in verse 14, you have this, not long after the soft wind, which is favorable to them, sailing to the Mediterranean, going to Rome, to Italy. Suddenly, there was this temperatures, big wind, strong wind, temperatures wind. A strong wind are blowing there, which is not safe for them. And the wind they call it Eurocliden. This wind, Eurocliden. and it's not safe. So this is different from in the earlier part where they were there in the harbor in Crete. Everything was okay. There's a slow wind. It was favorable then. And they, the thing of that, they go. And Paul said the other way that in this trip you go, you might face, you might face a big storm. And so they don't listen to Paul, they listen to what the mariner or the ship owner said and the sailor said and they push on. In the beginning it was okay, the wind was slow. But suddenly you have this strong wind, Eurocliden. And verse 15 tells us, in this verse itself it tells us, describe to us exactly what happened. Now verse 15, and when the ship was caught and could not bear up to the wind. Do you understand that? when the ship was caught up. In other words, the ship was in the midst of the storm, of the temperature storm. All right? And it says that the ship could not bear up. That means the ship is tossing to and fro with all the sails and all the people who are on top. Nobody is safe on the ship. They cannot bear up. That was the picture. Let us use our imagination and see exactly. Some of you have thought, we have not gone through this imagination, this experience. I don't think we have. But if we travel in ship, nowadays modern ships is a bit different. From in those days, there are sailing boats, and you can see some of these pictures, they still have sails. And this Euroclidance is a very big win, and it would cost them, cost the ship and the people. And so there in verse 15, it says that the ship cannot bear up. That means the ship cannot bear up, everybody was holding on to something there in the ship or holding on to one another and trying to, and the sailors of course trying themselves how to keep themselves alive. And verse 16 it says, and running under, running under certain island, that means the ship, has run, the ship is sailing now with the tempestuous wind blowing, the ship is sailing quite fast, which is called, Clauda had much work to come by the boat. In other words, as the wind was blowing, the strong wind was blowing, the ship was moving, and there are a lot of work indeed. The sailors all try how to control the sails of the boat and the people also running through and through, holding hold to one another or any wood, any bars they can hold there. I believe that if I'm one of them, I will be holding to one anything that I can hold it, because the ship is not Standing still, you know, there's a strong wind blowing, so it's moving to and fro. And I might, if I'm there, I'll be moving also the same. And if I'm weak, I might lose my grip of anyone, and I will try to grip again. So all of them are like that. And so it was pandemonium there. Difficult. They are trying, therefore, to stay alive with the sheep moving from work. So they had much work to become by the boot. So that's right. And when they had taken up, they used helps. And when they had taken up, in other words, after running here and there, they have a little control of the ship. That's why it says here they have taken up. They used helps. whatever help they have. Alright? First one is un-girding, un-girding the ship. Un-girding, in other words, they will throw some, uh, ropes or things under the ship in order to keep the ship, uh, together. Because the ship is moving through and through and they are, there's, uh, rocks in between. They know that. They saw that. And so they tried to keep the ship not to tear apart. See? They themselves, the sailors, they know what they do. And that's what they do. And that's what they do, giving the ship and fearing that they might fall into the quicksand. Now, in that area where they're sailing, near the shore, there was quicksand. Now your normal quicksand is floating and then the ship, they need the propellers to carry on. So here again they have to, not only the storm, they have to make sure that they don't meet some of this quicksand. And once you meet the quicksand, the propeller will be stuck in the quicksand and they cannot move. and they will be in the storm. So this is very dangerous. I think you all can understand that. If you are inside, very dangerous. So when we read this passage, we should understand, use our imagination a bit. And you see this very dangerous. So they're undergirding the ship and then fearing that they might fall into the quicksand. It's tossing to and fro, and then they are afraid that they also might be tossed into the quicksand, fall into the quicksand. Once you fall into the quicksand, it means your death. It's your death, you see. You'll be fall, go right into the quicksand, and you'll die. And then it says that quicksand and straight sail, so were driven. So their sails cannot put up. There's a strong wind and they cannot put up the sail. So the ship is not functioning as a normal ship anymore. They can't put up the sail properly. There's a strong wind. and the people are not able. The sailors try their very best and then they are trying to save the ship. So all of them are pandemonium. Everybody trying their best to keep alive. Now if they are passengers of the ship or become the soldiers who are who are looking after these prisoners. They all try, the prisoners themselves, all locked up together, holding on to one another. And then the sailors also trying to help themselves, trying to keep the ship afloat. And Paul also was surrounded also. Paul has warned them, and this is what happened. And he also trying the best, to keep himself alive. So all this. Now where is God? God was present, all right? God saw what is happening and he saw his servant, Paul, and the prisoners. And is he going to do something about it? Let's see. This is very dangerous here. And so up to verse 18 there. And so in verse 18 he says, and we've been exceedingly tossed with tempest. So with tempest means a strong wind and they have been exceedingly, very exceedingly tossed That means they cannot stand on the ship. That means the ship is not turning. When they stand, the ship turns. They fall on one side, and then they fall on the other side, the ship turns again. This side, this side. You see the ship is moving like this. And they're standing on the ship. So they are tossed to and fro. And there was wind. and there were waves. So it's dangerous. What Paul has said earlier is dangerous. Paul has given, God has given Paul that prenomination to say that and the sailors don't care. The sailors say they have many times been to, of course sometimes they have good weather, it's all right. Sometimes they also have slow, small wind is good. And at this time, there was a small wind. And then the owners of the ship, they don't want to lose the ship. Why stop? Stop means extra money for them. And so let's carry on and go near the shore. And all of a sudden, as Paul said, you may meet, you will meet with all these things. And now in verse, up to verse 17 to 18, 18 is very terrible. Sorry, verse 18, it more or less can summarize the whole thing now. They were all in such a danger. They all will lose their life. the prisoners, the sailors, and Paul also. Now let's see what happened. Is God going to allow Paul to die when Paul has appealed to Caesar? And this is the boat they're supposed to take to Italy. But on the way to Italy, they met with this storm. Everyone's life is dangerous. is in danger of being killed, including Paul himself. And so up to verse 18. And on top of that, verse 19, let's see what it says. And the third day we cast out our hands, we cast out with our hands own hands, the tackling of the ship. Now, what is the tackling? That means all the things that will keep the ship afloat, or the ship together. So it was so bad that they have to throw these things away. These are extra weight for them. They have to throw it away. And verse 3D says, and when neither sun nor stars for many days, there were the sun and the stars did not shine for many days and then neither do they appear and no small temples lay on, no small tempest lay on us and all hope that we should be safe was then taken away. Now they had come to the point where with the ships and all the storm and up and down, they tried their very best, threw everything, all the tackles of the ships they threw away just to lighten the ship Now they are just trying to keep themselves in the ship. The ship is tossing. They will lose their life. Here it says all hope is gone. They are waiting now to die. How to die? When to die? You are in such a situation. When you are in such a situation, what do we do? We as Christians, what do we do? Our natural instinct is what? We have to pray to one person, right? I have to pray to God. If I were not them, then I would definitely pray to God. The way I've never prayed before, probably. I would cry to God to save me. If I'm alone, okay. If my family is with me, how? Together with them, so we cried even more loudly in order to be safe, to have our life. So that was the trip. They were in that kind of position. They had not followed Paul's advice. They think they are cleverer. Of course, they think they are cleverer. their ship owner, their sailors in the ship, they have traveled and they thought that there's this small, slow wind that come, it is favorable to them, let us leave, leave the place, leave crate there, carry on, go by the shore. And then all of a sudden, like the weather, all of a sudden change. and there was these temperatures and tossed them through and through. They already lost control. Now they have lost control of everything. Now up to verse 20, the passage I'm giving is up to verse 20, which actually we should carry on up to at least to verse 21. after verse 21 at least there's some light there. Now like at verse 20 itself, stop at verse 20. Now we're in such a position, we are in this boat, we are on our way to Italy to meet Rome. And Paul has already said he's going to meet, ask to meet Caesar and they are all on the way there. And on the way, they met this storm off the shore of Crete, which is not very near, or Italy. And so all their lives are in danger. And Paul says, I've got to meet them, to meet Caesar. The question I ask myself, will Paul meet Caesar? He had prayed, he had asked, he believed that. Now with this storm on, they have gone against his advice. And then with this storm on, almost everybody is clutching something in order to save themselves. If they fall off the ship, I don't think they can survive. The storm is so great, The ship is, the sea is not calm, it's turmoil. And so they will try their best to stay on the ship, whatever things they can hold in order to keep themselves. That's what they do, I think so. That's what is being described here, that's what they do. I'm tempted to read further down, you see. When I read further down up to verse 21, then I'm a bit comforted. 21, there you see, because Paul was the servant of God, and God made sure that Paul lived together with all the other prisoners who were with him. He made sure that everyone in the ship is safe, except the ship will be broken. See how mighty God is? Saved all the people. They might be thrown down to the shore by hook or by crook, how they can swim and save themselves. Anyway, what's important, they were saved. They managed to find the shore of the island and they swam there. But the ship wrecked and finished completely. And so God helped. And God helped. If you read further on, you can see how God helped. God helped Paul and all of them. But looking at the ship and the people who were taken by the ship and all on the way to Rome, I can say that here, The devil is always against Paul, against God's servant when they travel, and the devil always will cause this type of thing to happen. Yes, these things, this weather will happen, and God has allowed this thing to happen. He has another way of preserving his own servant, his own people. but the people who were owners of the ship and all that, they were given advice by Paul. But who is Paul? How tall is Paul? Paul was not attractive, you know? He was a short man, short man. Only that we know as Christian that he's a preacher. He's a preacher. And then he is very educated. But if you look at Paul, he looks like a nobody, short. I remember once when Paul was with another person, and then they want to make one of them to become the leader. They choose the other person and not Paul, because the other person is a bit handsomer and taller. But Paul is unassuming, you see? But who is cleverer? Intelligent. Up here on the brain. Because we can't see the brain. Yeah, Paul was. And here, you can see that. And so you find the sailors and the owners, they all listen to the more experienced men. And then Paul is given this knowledge that it's not worth it. It will be a difficult passage to Italy. May be dangerous. and warned them. And here is a man who warned them. They don't listen to him. And so they got this, this wind, strong wind, this Eurocriden. And they hit the ship. Well, the owner of the ship is going to lose the ship. The sailors, all of them, According to Paul, God will save them. God already said to Paul, I will save them, all of them. All of them who is with Paul will be saved. So what can we learn from this passage? we can learn one thing, we must trust in our God. We go on a certain journey, we do not know about that journey, but if we face trouble, terrible trouble, difficult trouble, or whatever trouble, We always will, always look for someone or something to rely upon. As Christians, we can ask, look for things to rely upon, help us to rely upon, but most important, we must always look for God. We must acknowledge him as our Lord, his God, the creator of the whole world. He can save us, even the storm is great, like Euroclidon. Even that, he can save. When the ship is broken, knocked against this rock and that rock, and broken, and we fall into the sea, How? We want to swim. Yes, God can help. God help them, all of them, many of them. God has promised, according to the passage you gave further on, God has promised to Paul that everyone in the ship who travel with him will not be lost. 276 of them will not be lost, including Paul himself. I do not know Paul can swim or not. I have never, so far I've read in the books of Acts, I've never seen Paul at one time swimming. Whatever, he can always find how to float himself. You get it. Grab any wood around, standing there, grab it and stay alive. Yes, and this is the kind of trip he was in on the way to Rome to see Nero, to appeal against the charges against him by the religious leaders of Palestine, to charge him against, to charge him saying things against Caesar. That means for his life. So he appealed to Caesar, trusting the Lord would do everything for him. All right. And now he met with this storm. As far as he's concerned, his chances of meeting Caesar and have this opportunity to appeal to Caesar is gone. He might lose his life in this storm. So in his life also definitely when he was in the midst of the storm, I believe that Paul was praying inside his heart privately to God himself, save us. So also we are in such a position, such a danger, whatever danger you might be in, You pray to the Lord. We pray to the Lord. Have you gone through this kind of danger in life? And you pray to the Lord and the Lord somehow or other work in the circumstances to save you. You must believe in that. You must. Because your God is the Almighty God. Nothing is impossible with Him. We believe that. Believe right in our heart and our mind. We keep close to Him. This is what I learned from this passage. If we have a good advice, a reasonable advice, as Paul said, don't go on this journey against the sailors and the owners of the ship. The owner, of course, definitely wants the ship to carry on. His money is concerned, but the sailors, they thought that this is just a slow wind that is blowing. Actually, it is good for them, the wind, and the ship moves, carry on moving a bit. But Paul's idea was not from himself. I believe that God has given him, Paul said, This time of traveling is not, you're going to meet with this danger. They don't believe him. So they carry on. And so they followed. They didn't follow, they followed their own advice. They didn't follow Paul. But Paul has another person who is able to control everything, and that person is God himself. And God, later on you find that God appeared to him that he will save all the people with him. They will save him also, but the ship will be destroyed. The ship destroyed, yet Paul is saved. You read the whole passage. In this passage, at this point of time, while we see that the ship is okay, everything okay, but at least it is not. The owners have lost the ship. The wind has blown enough. You read further on, the ship will be destroyed completely. So, what do we learn? We must trust in the Lord. And when we trust in the Lord, we must get the word from the Lord, of the word of the Lord. Not the words of any people. The words from the Lord. And we trust in Him. And things will be all right. and we get the word from the Lord, even in times of danger, we will be preserved. So let us trust the Lord. Let us pray. Our Lord, our God, we thank Thee for this