If you would turn, if you could turn to Acts 27. I know it's a long passage, but I think we need to read the entire chapter to appreciate what is going on. So Acts chapter 27, verses 1 through 44, I am going to read it for us, but I'll be reading from NAS. When it was decided that we would sail for Italy, they proceeded to deliver Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion of the Augustan cohort named Julius. And embarking in an Argometean ship, which was about to sail to the regions along the coast of Asia, we put out to sea accompanied by Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica. The next day, we put in at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul with consideration and allowed him to go to his friends and receive care. From there, we put out to sea and sailed under the shelter of Cyprus because the winds were contrary. When we had sailed through the sea along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we landed at Myra in Lycia. There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy, and he put us aboard it. When we had sailed slowly for a good many days, and with difficulty had arrived off Nidus, since the wind did not permit us to go farther, we sailed under the shelter of Crete of Salmone. And with difficulty sailing past it, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near which was the city of La Silla. When considerable time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous since even the fast was already over, Paul began to admonish them and said to them, men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives. But the centurion was more persuaded by the pilot and the captain of the ship than by what was being said by Paul. Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest and spend the winter there. When a moderate south wind came up, supposing that they had attained their purpose, they weighed anchor and began sailing along Crete close inshore. But before very long, there rushed down from the land a violent wind called Uroculo, and when the ship was caught in it and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and let ourselves be driven along. Running under the shelter of a small island called Clowda, we were scarcely able to get the ship's boat under control. After they had hoisted it up, they used supporting cables in under guarding the ship and fearing that they might run aground on the shallows of Sirtis, they let down the sea anchor and in this way let themselves be driven along. The next day, as we were being violently storm-tossed, they began to jettison the cargo. And on the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands. Since neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and no small storm was assailing us, from then on, all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned. When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, Man, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss. Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night, an angel of God, to whom I belong and whom I serve, stood before me, saying, Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar, and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you. Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe, God, that I will that it will turn out exactly as I've been told, but we must run aground on a certain island. But when the 14th night came, As we were being driven about in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight, the sailors began to surmise that they were approaching some land. They took soundings and found it to be 20 fathoms, and a little farther on, they took another sounding and found it to be 15 fathoms. Fearing that we might run aground and somewhere on the rocks, they cast four anchors from the stern and wished for daybreak. But as the sailors were trying to escape from the ship and had let down the ship's boat into the sea on the pretense of intending to lay out anchors from the bow, Port said to the centurion and to the soldiers, unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved. Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship's boat and let it fall away. Until the day was about to dawn, Paul was encouraging them all to take some food, saying, Today is the fourteenth day that you have been constantly watching and going without eating, having taken nothing. Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish. Having said this, he took the bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it, and he began to eat. All of them were encouraged, and they themselves also took food. All of us in the ship were 276 persons. When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing out the wheat into the sea. When they came, they could not recognize the land, but they did observe a bay with a beach, and they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could. And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea while at the same time they were loosening the ropes of the rudders. And hoisting the foresail to the wind, they were heading for the beach, but striking a reef Where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground, and prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the force of the waves. The soldier's plan was to kill the prisoners so that none of them would swim away and escape. But the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to the land. And the rest should follow, some on planks and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land. Amen. Excuse me. There was a long passage, and that was my last sermon on Book of Acts. And when I read this long passage, two things came to my mind. First was the verse from 2 Chronicles 69, For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth, that he may strongly support those whose heart is completely his. That verse came to my mind because in the midst of this epic journey to Rome, full of details, really, and full of drama, I thought God's eyes were squarely on his servant Paul. That's what I felt after reading this long story. Right, God was looking at Paul even in the midst of the storm was my first thought that came to my mind. Second thought came to my mind was this. I said to myself, seriously? Seriously? This is the final phase in Book of Acts, but also in Paul's life as well. Journey to Rome took place around 80, 60, somewhere between 64, 60 to 64. And Apostle Paul will die around AD 64 to 68, somewhere in between. So, Paul, at this time, don't you think he has learned a lesson about hardship? Acts 23 11, Lord stood by his side and what did he say to Paul to him? To Paul he said, take courage for as you have solemnly witnessed to my cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also. That was what Christ said to Paul. So he is not a Jonah running away from God's will. This is relatively late in his life. He's a mature man, Christian man, godly man. And he is going through all these things, sufferings and persecutions from Jerusalem and on in obedience to God's will. He's not Jonah, not running away. And he's in the storm. Second Corinthians 11, I gave you, I read one verse, but the rest of the verse goes something like this, as you know. 11.24 says, five times I received from the Jews 39 lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned at Lystra. And here is this information. Three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep, he says. What's interesting about that is this 2 Corinthians written around 8055. So this 2 Corinthians was written way before X27. So if anything, today's passage, this account of this big two-week lasting storm, would be his fourth shipwreck. 1125 said, three times I was shipwrecked. But it was about five years before this would happen to him. So just imagine, this is his, if anything, fourth. There could have been more, but fourth shipwreck. So if you would tell Paul why this storm, And we say, well, you know, maybe God is trying to teach you a lesson. What would Paul say? Paul would say, you know, I have learned my lesson. This is my fourth shipwreck. Can you imagine? Really? Imagine a scenario. Let's say I like to go to, let's say, summer missions often. And summer missions, I go to summer missions. Let's say I went to Guatemala this summer. and I had a satellite phone and I was in a shipwreck, let's say just river. I'm floating down the river holding onto a log and I called my elder. and said, you know, I'm floating down the river. I don't know. I'm going to die. Could you send somebody, a contact embassy or something like that, United States Embassy in Guatemala, and send a chopper to save me? And probably one of our elders would say, my gosh. Just hold on a minute. He will call, and he will send a chopper and will save me. I hope so. Let's say next year, in the middle of the night, I'm in a mission trip. He receives another phone call. Hey, elder, I am in jungle, Amazonian jungle. I am still floating down somewhere. Could you send me a chopper? Following here. Hey, I don't know, I'm in Asia somewhere. Hey, once again, I'm in a shipwreck, third time. Following here, I call him again in the middle of the night and say, I'm in another shipwreck, fourth shipwreck. Now, first, it was all good. It was cute. Second and third time, you know what my elders would think? They would think, maybe Sam is not the man of God. Maybe he's not real pastor. What are the chances that he would be in shipwreck for the fourth time? That's the argument from Corinthian church. If you're man of God, why so many bad luck? Why so much suffering? Do you understand? And the verse that I've given you, 1123, I am more so of a laborer, servant of Christ. All these sufferings that I go through authenticates me as an apostle of Christ Jesus. But even you hearing this, aren't you tempted to think that way? So after reading this whole story, I'm thinking, seriously, Another shipwreck. If I were to be a little more angry, angrier, that I could see myself standing in that ship, crying out to God like this, God, what is the point of this? I've learned my lesson. Why can't we go to Rome just like normal people? Why this drama? For what purpose? I just don't understand. If I'm angry, you know, God, I'm done with this stuff. I'm obeying you, and you throw me into another storm, another shipwreck. I am done. I am going to jump off the ship. You better save me. I'm done with this whole thing. I could see myself screaming like that, really, in this story. I will try to structure my sermon under those two headings, God's eyes and really God, seriously, those two headings. But let's examine that 2 Chronicles 69, the eyes of God, for the eyes of the Lord. Now, as you have read in this chapter, What's happening really is that commercial activities are happening here. The wheels of the ancient times and even now, the wheels of the world are turning because of commerce in the world. There are few groups in this story. First group who are in this activity, commercial activity, would be the sailors. What are they doing? They're simply doing their job to get paid. First ship that this group of people get onto in verse two is Andromachean ship. What in the world is Andromachean ship? It is a regional name. It's a region in the western coast of Turkey. What that tells us is that this ship is not a government ship. This ship is not a Navy ship, not owned by Roman government. This is a merchant ship. carrying cargoes and people, whatever the thing that they would pay to get on that boat, they are simply transferring group of things to another port. That's what is happening. Second ship too. Second ship they get onto is the Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy. What is going on here is that The time is really around mid-October when the sea journey, seafaring, is dangerous at the time. But there's a side information. Claudius, 41 to 54, offered a bounty to sheep owners who are willing to sail in this dangerous season to bring extra grain to Rome. As you know, at the time, Rome already had to rely on Egypt for supplying the grain, just like Manhattan would not survive on its own, so they rely on this Great grain that was coming, but nobody really was going to come and deliver the goods because it was dangerous season. Bible doesn't say this was the reason, but maybe that was in the back of minds. And there was a recompense promised for those risk-taking ships by the emperor. So one group here involved in this commercial transaction is sailors. Another group that I see is soldiers. What are they doing on the ship? They're transporting the prisoners, more than poor. We see there are a few more prisoners. We don't know how many. Julius was a centurion, but I don't think all 100 soldiers were on there, but few. But what were they doing on the ship in this scenario? Once again, they're simply doing their job. They need to get paid to provide for their family. Now, third group, prisoners. We see prisoners here. We don't know how many, but they are there along with how many people? 276 people. When I read that number, I just remembered, oh, I remember something like, and I went up and I Googled it. 1492, when Columbus had his first voyage, he has four, but first one, he comes with three ships, as you know, Nina, Pinta, Santa Maria. Put together, you know how many people traveled first time to the West Indies? 87 men in three different ship, a small ship. Now, about 1500s prior to that, we see a ship, Alexandrian ship, full of people, 276 people. That means this is a big ship. This is a ocean liner. And I was wondering, wow, even back then they had technology to build such a big ship. Now, my question at this point is this, in this situation, They are transporting Paul and the groups of prisoners to Rome. They are able to do this because of these commercial activities here. Everybody's making money somewhere, somehow. But my question is this, who is Paul in this situation? What is Paul? Well, Paul is nobody because he's not really paying anything to anybody. He's not really directly involved in this transaction. He's not buying, he's not selling, he's not paying anyone, at least not himself. Therefore, he is not in the decision-making circle. As you saw, it was pilot, merchants, centurion, and the soldiers. They are the decision-making power. What's worse, he's nobody because he doesn't possess any money to pay anybody significant sum of money to anybody to be counted among the power structure to make decisions. Not only that, what's worse is that when the storm comes, those groups that I've mentioned all put Paul's life in danger. Now, they were sailors just sailing along. We don't know what the internal motivation exactly is other than what Bible says, but because of their foolish decisions, maybe they had profit, big profit in mind. If I just risk this, like, you remember like ice road truckers you see in the TVs? If I take more risk, there'll be more reward. Maybe that was in the back of their minds, but because of their bad judgments, These sailors are now what? Threatening poor's life. What about soldiers? Once again, they were simply doing their job. Nobody wanted to go on a ship, but they are simply doing their job to pay for families and whatever. They just wanted to get paid. But when the storm hit, what happens? These soldiers turn to kill the prisoners who are going to escape, as you know. Otherwise, they have to pay with their own lives. So suddenly, when the storm hits, everything gets worse, and these soldiers are now armed and dangerous. Forget about the storm. They're about to plunge that big dagger into Paul's heart, really, literally. What about prisoners? Until storm hit, prisoners were prisoners. They were just going along. But when storm came, these fellow prisoners of Paul have become liability to Paul's life. If Paul was the only exclusive prisoner here, then he could have been treated in a whole new way. But because of these other prisoners, now Paul is counted among them, and if they're going to escape, they're going to kill the prisoners, now Paul is going to die as well. So you see, what's happening is, Paul didn't have any money to be counted anything worthy and significant from world's eye view. And also when storm hit, everybody turned against him. Now, I understand as a Christian and as a man, if I do something wrong and I suffer for it, I am okay with that. If I make foolish decisions on my own and if I suffer for it, hey, that's my thing. I have to deal with it, I understand. But so many times we find ourselves like Paul, it really is not Paul's fault. He's been warning, he's been admonishing them. But because of other people, Now Paul has to suffer, and Paul's life is in mortal danger because of all these things. Not him, he didn't do anything wrong. He's been advising them not to go, but they don't listen, and because of all these foolish decisions, now Paul will suffer. And now what is the attitude of yours when such things happen. It's not my fault, but because of that person's decision, now I have to go through this suffering. Oftentimes, that's when we get frustrated. That's when we get angry. But here, in the middle of the storm, who is Paul? I would say, He's a child of God. Luke is on board. Aristarchus is on board. Maybe a few more. I don't know how many Christians are there. 276 in all. Let's say there are not Christians then. On this ship, God would care for Paul. Yes, he's an apostle. He has a mission. But what distinguishes him from others at this point is not the amount of money he has, which he has none, not any other things, qualities in him, but the fact that Apostle Paul is a child of God. Because of his faith in Christ Jesus, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, that makes him not only a saved sinner, but a child of God. So who is Paul on this ship, on that ship? A child of God. Why should God care? Because Apostle Paul is a child of God. Now, let me read you 2 Chronicles 69 again. For the eyes of the Lord move to and for throughout the earth that he may strongly support those whose heart is completely his. We nod, we agree, and we understand and we expect God to say that, or any gods to say that. But if I say, God's eyes are on you, person, individual, single person, and you substitute your name, eyes of the Lord is on me. I wonder how many of you could say, that's right, God's eyes are on me. Only way that verse becomes, 2 Chronicles 69 becomes a gospel to you and to me is when we accept that verse through Jesus Christ, whose heart was completely His, whose life was perfected in this life, and paid for my penalty and at the same time fulfilled all the commands of God. So, That verse, we expect God's eyes to be on Paul because Paul is Paul. He's a great guy, great Christian. But do you have the confidence when it comes to you? Who am I on that ship? If I was on the ship, why would God care? Why would God do anything for me? I'm telling you, good news is God's eyes are on you because you are a child of God. That doesn't mean much to modern Christians, I understand. When I preached this, at the time was Reformation month and Reformation Day. Reformation comes, day comes, the month comes, we all celebrate justification by faith alone. Sola Fide, the great doctrine of Reformation and we celebrate and gloat over the great truth. That's all good, I'm not denying anything. But imagine a scenario. Let's say there was a convicted killer, and he had a court date. He appeared before the judge. And judge said, instead of sentencing him to death, he says, you know, someone else volunteered to take your place, so you are free to go. So a man was exonerated from that crime, OK, free to go, and he walks out. Now he goes out of that courtroom, he goes out and he realizes he doesn't have a place to go, he doesn't have money to buy food, clothing, he doesn't have a shelter, anything. So he said, oh, I'm gonna wait. And he waits until Judge exits the door. And keeping some distance, he follows Judge to his home. He was shy person, let's say, couple hours later, he knocks on the door. And judge opens the door, and this freed convict now, freed sinner, he tells the judge, judge, thank you for setting me free, but I don't have anything to go on. Can I come in and eat your dinner? Can you give me a clothing? Can you provide me with a shelter tonight? Or give me some, you know, start up money? What would judge say? I mean, I have freed you, that was my job, that's all I will do for you, excuse me, I have family to attend to, goodnight. Oftentimes, when we talk about salvation, we talk about salvation in that way. You know what Sola Fide does? Only thing Sola Fide does, as important as it is, as foundational as it is, I'm not denying that, but it leaves you like that man who is freed from death penalty. But the heart of the gospel is not simply God saving the sinners so that we could go to heaven when we die, but the heart of the gospel is what? Adoption. So let me read you a few verses. Romans 8, 15 says this. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which we cry out, Abba, Father. Without adoption, that is, if I'm only saved by faith alone, sinner now freed from my penalty, I cannot cry, Abba father because maybe Abba judge or something like that, but he is not my father. Judge is a judge, a good judge, judge, merciful judge who set me free, that's good. But if you only have sola fide and people try to reduce the gospel into one single benefit, no. Heart of the gospel is adoption, adoption. Oftentimes we forget that. Only sons cry out Abba father. Galatians 4, 4 to 8 says something like this. But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, so that, there's a purpose clause, so that he might redeem those who are under the law. We understand. God sent his son to save us, redeem those who are under the law. There's another clause right attached to, right next to it. It says, another purpose clause, that. We might receive the adoption as sons. Again, same thing, because you are sons, God has sent forth the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Final verse that I'm going to read for you is Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1 is about what? Predestination. Is it? Verse 5, he predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to himself according to the kind intention of his will. Now, In that storm, God's eyes are on Paul because Paul was God's child. And for us to think about adoption without really digging through it, it sounds very superficial because we understand there's a natural son and adopted son, there's difference. But God's point, the purpose of God predestinating the sinners was not simply to free the sinners so that they could go to heaven and I'll see you in heaven, but was to adopt us as sons and co-heirs with Christ. So Robert Letham would say something like this. Regeneration makes you a member of God's kingdom, but the adoption will make you a member of God's family. Huge difference, huge difference. Don't think of yourselves simply as saved, forgiven sinner. That's not a good news. That is not a complete story. What comfort is there going down with the ship saying, I'm saved sinner? There's no comfort in it. My comfort is in knowing that I am adopted son of God, knowing that God is my father, so I am able to cry out to him as Abba father, just as Christ himself in Mark 14 was able to cry out in Gethsemane as Abba father, same privilege, same access to the father. I'm saying, I want you to know, as you live in this fallen world, you will face moral dangers and all kinds of spiritual, whatever, financial, whatever things. We will face that. Not because you have done something wrong, because we live in fallen world, and people, all these people who make mistakes, try to get us. But remember in those times who you are. Who are you? Who are you? It's a cool thing to say, Bond, James Bond, who are you? Bond, James Bond. It's not a cool thing to say, who are you? A child of God. But there's so much comfort and confidence knowing that we are adopted sons of God, daughters of God, children of God, and God's eyes are squarely on you as well. is that comfort and confidence you have, you and I have in Christ Jesus. That's the first part, knowing that we are adopted sons of God. Second part, I will spend less time, just briefly, was that, remember, seriously? I was asking, seriously? I'm looking at this, this verse, this chapter, and thinking, wow. What is the point of all these, why? Okay, God wanted to save some people, it's great. But from Paul's perspective, at his old age, in obedience to will, God's will, he's going through another storm. Can you imagine going through that? But what do you see there, though? I think this spoke to me greatly, at least to my own heart. he apostle Paul does not stop and go down to I don't know basement of that ship the lower deck of the ship and have this theological conversation with God asking him why Why would God send that storm? Or did you allow that natural phenomenon to hit this ship? Who caused it? Why? Why this time? You could ask this question over and over again, and often I ask that question. Don't you ask those questions? I ask those questions. Why? Why am I in this situation? Why am I going through this? I mean, I'm trying to live Godly life. I'm trying to do your thing. And you put me through another storm? God, I have learned my lesson. Stop with this. Stop with this storm. Don't you say that often? I say that often. And why? Senseless suffering. And I learned my lesson from this chapter. If I were to ask Paul, this is my imagination, so there's no infallible Bible verse to back this up, but I'm simply observing what Paul is doing, he's everywhere, he's commanding, admonishing, giving advices, and he's encouraging, witnessing in public, he's doing all that. But if I were to ask Paul, don't you wonder why would God Why would God send another storm while you are going to Rome to witness about you in Rome in front of Caesar? Why would God do that? I suspect this is what Paul would say. Paul probably would say, you know, Sam, I have big answers and that's enough for me. That's what I sense that he would say to me. What are the big answers? We all have from the Bible, we have big questions and big answers, such as creation, fall, redemption, and upcoming consummation. Those are the big answers from the Bible. I do not see Paul spending much time thinking about why, why, why, why, until I'm clear on this, I'm not gonna do this. He's not doing any of that. I don't think he's asking that question at all. Seriously? No, he doesn't have that. He doesn't ask God, I've learned my lesson. He doesn't have that. And you learn from Romans 8, the following verses of that Abba Father verse. And it goes something like this. Verse 17, if children heirs also, heirs of God, and fellows heirs with Christ, if indeed, what? If we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. identity, our identity of sons of God, daughters of God, but included in that. Sons of God built with it is suffering. That is mark of sonship is suffering. Because we are adopted in Christ, Christ is suffering servant. So whatever comes this, let's say, fourth storm in Paul's life, Paul does not have to ask the question to God, and Paul does not really need an answer. But he could go on and doing about God's ministry, knowing the big picture. Having the big answers, I believe, was enough for Paul. I will end with the verse 44. This long story ends with this verse. So it happened that they all were brought safely to land. So it will be for us, as children of God, we will arrive safely to the end, in the end. And I'm not talking about physical safety, obviously. But all of us who are in Christ, all of us who are adopted as sons in the Son, at the end of the day, we will arrive just like this story, we will arrive in the city of God, safely and we will persevere because God will preserve us to the end. May the Lord bless you and keep you for the rest of your lives. Let's pray. We learn from the apostle's example. There's no groaning, there's no wasting time thinking about the small questions sometimes that get to us. And if we were prone to get discouraged from the things that happen around us, I pray that you will help us to fix our eyes on Christ, other things trying to get our attention. But would you give us this assurance of salvation assurance of our spiritual identity. And really when we are in the storm, we forget that. Often we forget that identity immediately and we start to get frustrated and sometimes angry, sometimes really discouraged. But it has been granted for us, for Christ's sake, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for his sake and help us to receive that and help us to live our life, rest of our lives in really glorifying you instead of focusing on why question. So would you be with us? Would you preserve us? Because in our own strength, we will fail. But by the Spirit's help, we will be more than conquerors. So be with this church, be with us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.