Let's pray together. Father in heaven, we thank you that you have not left us up to our own devices about how we are to approach you. But you have called us to be your own. You have called us to be your children and you have given us your word and your word comes to us by and through Christ and by your spirit. You knit it into our hearts. You give us eyes to see and hearts to receive and ears to hear. Father, we would ask that you would send your spirit this evening. Help us to see clearly Christ who is before us. and who is here with us as we seek to worship you. Father, guide us and direct us tonight through your word. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. Please be seated. One of my new favorite shows is on the Discovery Channel. It's called The Deadliest Catch. Now, one of the reasons The Deadliest Catch is one of my favorite shows is because I like watching shows that do things that I could never, ever do. The Deadliest Catch is about fishermen in Alaska that go out into the Bering Sea and during all sorts of weather, throw these big, what they call pots, these 800 pound metal pots that they put broken pieces of fish in. The crabs are attracted to the lobsters rather are attracted to. And so they find themselves out in the middle of the Bering Sea throwing these 800 pounds pots over the side. Now, I get sick in bathwater. I get motion sickness just looking at these sorts of things. I once was on Lake Murray and there were four foot waves. I was on a little Hobie cat sailboat and I got sick. So I like watching things that I can't do myself. But one of the reasons that the deadliest catch is interesting beyond just my own interest in the show is because if they're showing these fishermen out in the Bering Sea, they're showing them on these 30, 40, 50, 60 foot waves. And they're in this enormously large ship. Not sure how big it is, but it looks big on TV. And the waves come crashing over the front of the ship. And the captain's up above the deck and sometimes the wind and the waves are pressing in on them so hard that as the camera is showing out the view of the captain's view out of the out of the out of the captain's chair. These wind and waves are coming at such a degree and so quickly and so often that you can't see anything for hours. It's at that point in time that the captain is is relying on something. The circumstances look dim. The waves are coming in and the wind is crashing across the boat. The way in which the captain knows where he is. It's because of GPS. He knows where he is in the Bering Sea because he has instruments to guide him and direct him. Now, the Apostle Paul and these first century sailors didn't have GPS. But Paul, nonetheless, In the midst of the storm is anchored in something he's grounded and guided by something. And as we read through, as Andy read through this passage, you see what what exactly Paul is grounded in. He's not grounded in the circumstances of the storm. He's not finding himself being tossed to and fro physically, perhaps, but not spiritually. But the storm is coming and crashing over their boat. And Paul stands in the midst of it and he finds his bearings. He finds his grounding in something other than simply the circumstances. And Luke spends as many time, many verses relaying this story to us as Luke did in describing the five trials over two years that that Paul underwent before we even get to this point. And that's interesting, isn't it? That Luke relays to us the story of of a storm and a ship and sailors and 276 people in a shipwreck. And he spends as much time on this on this narrative, on this story, as he does describing Paul's time in court and on trial for two years. That means there's something significant about this story. There's something that Luke wants us to get, yes, but there's something that God wants us to see in the midst of this story as well. There's something going on beyond just the circumstances. There's something going on beyond just this very dramatic story. There are theological and biblical truths written into the very actions of the sailor. The very action of the century, very action of Paul himself. This theological and biblical truths that ring true for them and ring true for us as well. And so we have this story. It's not unlike any other story, a book that you would read, perhaps, or a movie that you would watch or a play that you would watch. It has many of the normal literary features. There's a story development. There's tension. There's climax. There's resolution. Something is taking place in the midst of this story, and we could simply rehash the story and mine from the text applicable nuggets of wisdom, and it might read something like this. Act one versus one through 13. Advice ignored. Advice ignored. Act one. Paul is finding himself on the ship, you see, in verse nine. The ship is ready to set sail, and Paul speaks up. Since much time had passed and the voyage was now dangerous because even the fast was already over, that is, the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, which would take place in October, there was a time that Paul knew that you didn't go sailing, that you didn't venture on the seas in the Mediterranean. That time was from October for five months, from October to January. Because storms can pop up at any moment. Now, you might think yourself, well, Paul's Paul's really giving advice here to seafaring men to experienced men. And you see how he does that. Paul advised them, saying, Sir, as I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives. Now, Paul's giving these these experienced veteran seafaring men advice. We can think to ourselves, well, of course they didn't listen. Here's here's Paul, one of the prisoners trying to give them advice about when they should set sail. But you remember, Paul has been shipwrecked three times himself. You remember, Paul is an experienced traveler in this region. Paul knows what he's talking about. And actually, the seafaring men should have listened to him. They should have recognized that this was sound advice from a from a well-traveled individual, from someone who has experience in being shipwrecked, who might actually know what he's talking about. And even if you didn't want to believe Paul and and recognize that he had experience, you should at least recognize that the advice that was being given was good advice. But they ignore it. And why do they ignore it? You move on and you see that the centurion paid more attention to the pilot and to the owner of the ship and to what Paul said. And because the harbor was not suitable to spend the winter in, the majority decided to put out to sea from there on the chance that somehow they could reach Phoenix, the harbor of Crete, facing both southwest and northwest and spend the winter there. What's interesting besides that it seemed like the ship was a ship of democracy is that he completely ignored Paul's advice. And why? Look in verse 13. Now, when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete close to the shore. You notice what it says there at the beginning of verse 13. Now, when the south wind blew gently, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, that they had obtained their purpose. The NIB puts it slightly differently. It says they thought they had obtained what they wanted, that they heard the sound advice from Paul, don't set sail. Listen, boys, it's not going to be good for us. Hold off. Don't set sail. But this this wind comes along and makes them believe in an ever subtle way that they can get what they want. But there's just this slight win and they thought they had obtained what they wanted. Denial makes us vulnerable, doesn't it? Denying good advice makes us vulnerable, doesn't it? But here the centurion and the captain and the owner of the ship ignore Paul's advice. It's good advice. And yet this little breeze changes their mind. But it seems like, well, the consequences aren't immediate. But they won't come to me. But that won't happen to me. They ignore Paul's warnings. They suppose they got the wind they wanted. They find themselves going on their way, ignoring Paul's warning. So what happens? This Nor'easter rolls up on them. They set sail and this nor'easter blows down. These hurricane force winds come to them and they find themselves overcome by this storm. Have you ever seen or read the book The Perfect Storm? It was made into a movie. Sebastian Younger wrote the book. It's a story, a true story about a ship, the Andrea Gale, off the coast of Maine in the North Atlantic. Then in 1991, set sail to go fishing. And what happens was a conglomeration of circumstances that created the perfect storm. Waves over 10 stories come crashing down on the boat, destroying the boat altogether. Sort of the picture we have here, that there's a two week storm that blows in on them. This Nor'easter that takes them over, that takes the ship and tosses it to and fro. But the first thing we see, Act One, advice ignored. But there's an Act Two, hope abandoned. They find themselves in the midst of this storm and they try to do certain things. They do what's called frapping the ship. They take ropes. And they hoist the ship up and they they begin to wrap these ropes around the timbers to keep the wood close to the frame, basically, so the ship won't fall apart in the midst of the storm. And so they begin to frap the ship. They jettison the cargo as well. They're throwing things overboard. And just as they're moving along in these desperate ways physically to in hopes to keep the ship up. They find themselves eventually In verse 20, after they dropped anchors, after they've jettisoned cargo, after they've trapped the ship, they lost hope and believe that no one would be saved. Act one, not listening to sound advice. Act two, abandoning hope. Act three, glory display. And you see that in verses 21 through 44, everything is literally going to pieces. And Paul steps up and he steps up and he gives them this this sermon of sorts. And he knows how he begins there in verse 21. Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul stood up among them and said, men, you should have listened to me. That sounds a lot like I told you so, doesn't it? I told you so. It's kind of see Paul tapping his foot and crossing his arms in the back of the ship and saying, you should have listened to me. You see what's taking place there. Paul is actually building for the future. That he's he's giving them he's given them already sound advice, that advice has already proved to be true and worthy of listening to. And now Paul is simply preparing As he will give them more advice. As he will talk to them later about other things. Remember, I'm not so far off. You might want to listen. And so he continues, he rebukes them, yes, in verse 21, but in verse 22, he gives them something else. He doesn't simply rebuke them and sit quietly by. He rebukes them and then he encourages them. He says, take heart. Take heart. Take heart actually says it three times in the midst of this narrative. Take heart, men. Take heart. He's rebuked them. He encourages them. And then in verse twenty five, he points them to God, who is bigger than their circumstances. And look what he says in verse twenty five. So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told. That Paul is beginning to to lay the foundation of God's promises of God's promises. Paul is wanting the men to see that God fulfills his promises to his people. And so he begins to stabilize the group. He builds it all on God's promise. God reminds Paul in verses 23 and 24 that this is the promise. What did I tell you back when you thought you were going to be killed in Jerusalem and in Caesarea? He says in verse 23 and 24, for this very night there stood before me an angel of God to whom I belong and whom I worship. He said, God said to me, do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand before Caesar and behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you. Word comes to him. Word comes to Paul, reminding him of the promise that God has already made to him. God sends him this angel with his very words to Paul, I promise for you. Paul bases what he says after this on the promise of God. Now we can do that, what we've just done, taken this text and view it as a play unfolding before us. That the men, the centurion, the sailors have ignored Paul's advice. They've abandoned all hope and that Paul gives them this this glory displayed. Rather, God shows them his glory in the midst of this. And we could take some theological truths away from that. But there's something to be seen in the midst of this as it unfolds. That the story is not about Paul. This story is not about a storm, but a loving God who uses storms and boats and prayers and the Apostle Paul and Luke and sailors to accomplish his purposes and to spread his gospel of grace to all people. This story is about sovereign, a sovereign God with sovereign promises that he fulfills. And every story that we've looked at in the book of Acts really really cast our memory back to chapter one. It ought to. Where God says, listen, you will go out into all the world and you will be my witnesses in the midst of the world. And we're in the next to the last chapter, we finish up the book of Acts next week. And what's taking place is in here is in the Book of Acts is so much has taken place and we've really just taken a helicopter view of the Book of Acts. But it's so much has taken place. It's built this tempo and this pace. And all the while, God is working in the midst of a people's lives miraculously, sometimes in mundane ways, and sometimes in the greatest ways, in the smallest ways, he's working out his promises through his people that he will reach all nations and he will make witnesses in the world to go out into the world to spread his gospel. And that's exactly what's taking place here. The God's servant, Paul, is in the midst of this vote. with Luke and Aristarchus, and they're giving word to the promises of God. But all the sailors have abandoned hope, and all the sailors are finding that they're really just finding a way to live. They're just finding a way to save themselves. And Paul says, listen, we'll be saved, but not because of your doing, not because of my doing, but because God has promised to deliver me and through me You as well. It's interesting, too, how God's blessings are poured out upon Paul and the people around Paul receive blessing as well. That is, God is blessing Paul, the people around him. Indeed, the world is being blessed by us. God has blessed us with his love and his care and his protection and his gospel. The world is being blessed through us and by us as well. And it's all not so that our names can be lifted up, but so that the gospel can be spread in all sorts of way and unusual ways and interesting ways through a storm, through the storms of life that people might see that there's something in this person. That, though the circumstances look as if as if just on the deadliest catch where the wind and the waves are crashing over the boat, the captain is calm. Because he has his bearings. Same way, Paul is in the midst of the storm, the wind and the waves are crashing over. Paul has his bearings. Not in what the sailors can do. But in the promises of God. He will protect. And deliver. And those around him as well. And so you see what's taking place there. Just as the story unfolds, just in ways that stories do. But there are biblical truths that we can draw out from this text as well. The first biblical truth is that there is peril in life. There's peril in life. We don't get to live life, even as Christians, without facing trials and tribulations and temptations and peril. There are promises to us, but the promise is not as the health and wealth gospel preachers would tell you that life will be shiny and clean and clear and without problems. But if God really loves you, he would bless you with wealth and health and everything else you want. Here's the Apostle Paul, whom God loves And Paul is on a boat in the midst of a storm. Perils come in the midst of life and we will face them. And it reminds me of something. It reminds me of Jesus's words in John chapter 16 and verse 33. You don't have to turn there. You can just listen. John chapter 16 and verse 33. Jesus says, I have said these things to you. That in me, you may have peace in the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world. The biblical truth is that we will face peril, tribulation, but as we are in the world, not of the world, in the world, we will face tribulation. But if you are in Christ, you have peace. Peace. Now, how many of you are in the world want to raise your hand above your shoulder? How many of you are in the world, not of the world, but in the world? Well, you're breathing, you're in the world, you will face tribulation. Jesus doesn't pull any punches. He doesn't say, listen, once you become a Christian, no more tribulation. He says, listen, you're in the world, there'll be tribulation. He goes on further and says, because the world hates me, they will hate you because the world persecutes me. They will persecute you. In fact, when Jesus talks about Christians following him, when he talks about people becoming disciples, he doesn't pull punches. He tells you it will be difficult and you will face tribulation and you will face peril. Now, we face that as Christians. But everybody faces that, he says, if you are in the world. And so if you're sitting here tonight and you're not a Christian. I have word for you. In the world. Is tribulation. Are you in the world? Actually, the better question is. Are you in Christ? Because everyone who's breathing is in the world, we will face tribulation. But not everyone who is in the world is in Christ. In the world is tribulation. In Christ is peace. The better question is, are you in Christ? Because as you face the tribulation and perils of life, there's only one thing that can bring you ultimate peace, and that's being in Christ himself. So we see the perils of life. But we also see another biblical truth. That there is peace in life. Peril in life. But peace in life as well. And Jesus talks further about this in just a few chapters earlier in John. In John chapter 14 and verse 27 he says, My peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, do I give to you. In other words, Jesus is really showing the difference between the peace that the world would offer. Oh, you want to alleviate your peril and your tribulation. Try these five things. Try these 10 things. Try this substance. Try buying this. Try doing that. What Jesus says is the peace that the world offers, it's fleeting. And in the puff of a wind, it disappears. But the peace that I give to you. The peace that I give to you, my peace, Jesus says, lasts forever. What's different about Jesus's peace, then, is the question. What is different about Jesus's peace that he offers that's different than what the world would offer for peace? Well, the difference is, of course, in Romans chapter five and verse one, therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And it's talking about a legal peace, their peace with God. Now, we could spend the rest of our time describing what that legal peace really is. But here it is in just just a nutshell. That you and I, in our sinfulness, in our simply being human, we have rebelled against God. And there's payment needed for our sins. That God cannot receive us in our sins, but that there has been a price that has been paid and it comes through Jesus Christ. And since that price has been paid, God the Father receives us for all of us who call upon the name of Christ. that we now have peace with God, because God being a holy, a holy God has enmity towards sin itself. If you find yourself not in Christ, you're in sin. There's enmity from God towards you. But if you are in Christ and you have his peace, you have peace with God. That's one way in which Jesus's peace is different, but Philippians chapter four and verses four through seven tells us there's there's something else about Christ's peace. Chapter four and verse four through seven of Philippians rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, the peace of God. which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. There's a peace with God. But there is the peace of God as well. Don't you think that's what Paul is experiencing in the midst of this storm? The storm has come upon him. He's remembering the promises of God back when God told Paul in Jerusalem and Caesarea that, listen, you will go before Caesar and be my witness in the center of the world at the time in the middle of Rome. You will be my witness. Paul finds himself being sent from Caesarea to Rome. In months, you shouldn't be traveling with 276 sailors who will not listen to He finds himself in the middle of the Mediterranean with this two week storm coming upon him. I don't know about you, but I would think to myself, now, how's this going to work out exactly where are you taking me now, God? You've got this promise that you've made to me, but the circumstances are are beyond belief. This Nor'easter is rolled down upon us, our ship. I mean, these seafaring men. These experienced men are out of their minds because they're they're absolutely scared because of this Nor'easter that's rolled up upon them. And Paul might be scratching his head, what in the world is going on? But Paul's not scratching his head because he has the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. That God has made a promise to him, and because of Paul's relationship with God, he he trusts those promises. He understands what those promises are to him. And the promise in this particular case is that the ship might be destroyed, but no one will be lost. The ship might be destroyed, but no one will be lost. What are God's promises to us? God's promises to us are many and varied. But they all point ultimately to the promise of a savior. Who provides for us, who protects us, and by God's providence, we are brought in the final day, whether we we breathe another breath from the time we leave the sanctuary or not, God has provided for us and he's provided everlasting life through his son, Jesus Christ. And we find ourselves wrapped in him. The promises of God are true. and that God fulfills his promises to his people. There's peril in life. There's peace in life. There's provenance in life as well. God's good promises are to us. And this passage really is just just a story that underlines something Paul wrote somewhere else. Romans, chapter eight and verse 20. Do you remember that verse? Do you remember that verse? God works all things together for the good, for those who love God and are called according to his purpose. There is providence in the midst of life that stretches past our circumstances, that stretch past where we can see, which stretch past where we can even understand at times. And God is working all things by his providence that there is nothing that happens. You notice, you notice Paul tells him that not a hair of their head of the of the men that are on the ship will be damaged. That God somehow in his mysterious providence works all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose, but the promises to those who are called according to his purpose. That he works things out. And what is he working out in the midst of this story? He's working out that the gospel continues and moves on. And we see in chapter 28, it moves on to Malta and then finally to Rome. The God's plan and his promise and his providence, he's bringing the gospel to people. And he's doing that through Paul and he's doing that through a shipwreck and he's doing that through centurions and sailors and all sorts of things, a storm, a nor'easter that's rolling down. And God is all the time working out his purposes that his gospel might be spread. What does that mean for you and for me? It means, as we understand the biblical truths from this passage, that we will face perils in the midst of life. But that there's peace through Christ with God and of God that comes to us as Christians. And the providence of God is working itself out no matter what we face. And it's not just for us. But it's God is relinquishing his blessing upon Paul in this way. He saves others around him. In the same way as God has Has blessed us with Christ. We're not to hold it in and say. He's all mine. But to recognize that blessing flows from us to others as well. In the midst of life, we can say, yes, there are perils, great perils, great tribulation. Great things that happen to us that hurt us and wound us deeply. There's peril in the midst of this life. In the world, there is tribulation, but in Christ there is peace. It's all being worked out by the province of God. Eric Barker was a missionary in World War Two to Portugal, and the heat was being turned up in the midst of Portugal, and so he sent his sister and his wife and his children home to England by way of ship. And the next Sunday, Eric was preaching. He was in the midst of the service, and he was handed a letter. He paused for a moment, read the letter, and told the congregation that his family was safe. He finished the rest of the sermon and the rest of the service. And it wasn't until later on that the congregation learned that on the way home, his family was on a ship that had been torpedoed by the Nazis. And everyone was lost. And yet he could say. My family is safe. No matter what we face in this life. The perils of this life. God provides peace with him through Christ. And the providence of God works in and through every circumstance. That his gospel may spread. And that one day we may arrive at home safe as well. As we finish the book of Acts. Remember. That we are his witnesses. To the ends of the earth. As he is working out the gospel. In the midst of our lives. Let's pray. Father in heaven we thank you. We thank you that in the midst of this life. As peril comes to us. As storms rage around us. That you have given us the peace of Christ. That surpasses all understanding. Father, if we do not know that peace that you provide through Christ. May you work in our hearts. May you draw us to yourself. May we see and understand the peace that surpasses all understanding. More so, Father, may we be knit to Christ, found in him, trusting your promises that come through him. That for those who trust in Christ, we will be brought home safely as well. Father, remind us, too, that you are all the while working in our lives as Christians, That we might be your witnesses in all the world. That others may be blessed by us. No matter the storms. No matter the circumstance. Father, be with us, we pray. It's in Christ's name. Amen.