Since much time had passed, and the voyage was now dangerous because even the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, saying, “Sirs, 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.” – Acts 27
Paul, along with about 200 others, is being held prisoner on a boat. The weather has become bone rattling and people are afraid for their lives. So, Paul, doing what every great preacher would do, speaks up to help.
Then majority does not listen to him. They go anyways.
Now, a hurricane comes and the ship starts going down. They are taking such a violent battering from this storm that they, Paul included, start throwing things overboard.
No cargo. No tackle. No direction. Vigorous storm. All hope of being saved is abandoned!
I love Paul. Listen.
“Yet now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship,” says Paul.
Side note – “Only the ship will be destroyed.” In our lives our situation may get damaged. We may loose a relationship. Money. Time. Opportunity. But God has perserved you for a reason. Even if your ship is beat to nothing, God is still capable to perserve your purpose and use your life. “Only your ship will be destroyed,” Paul says. And he is not done yet
“For this very night there stood before me an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I worship, and he said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar. And behold, God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ So take heart, men, for I have faith in God that it will be exactly as I have been told.”
He tells this to 276 men. The author Luke, tells us this. Why is Luke so precise about their being 276? Why did he not round down? Because he knows, and is informing us, that every soul counts to God.
At the end of this day, thanks to God & Paul, everyone reached land saftley!
Good story. Now there also is a boat story about a man named Jonah. Jonah receives specific instructions from God to preach to Nineveh. He hates Nineveh. He does not want to preach to them. He wants them to go to Hell. So he sails in the opposite direction of Nineveh to a place called Tarshish.
On the way to Tarshish, the Lord sent a hurricane. Everyone on the ship becomes afraid and start crying out to their own god. They throw cargo over board while Jonah goes and takes a nap below deck. Lazy. Inconsiderate.
The crew tries to figure out who is responsible for this calamity. They roll dice. The dice fall on Jonah. They ask him, “What have you done? What have you got us into!” He tells them ” I have disobeyed the Lord. I am running from His presence.”
They ask him what can they do to escape from this death. He says to pick him up and throw him into the sea. He is so depressed, because of his disobedience, he is suicidal. They take him and throw him overboard. Now, a great fish swallowed him. The fish takes him to Nineveh and spits him out. He has a bad attitude. Preaches a crapy sermon. God blesses it anyways and saves people.
We got two people.
Two different boats.
One preacher who is fulfilling the will of God for his life. One who is running away from the will of God.
Every signle one of us are on a boat. The boat represents:
Family
Work
Classes
Relationships
Church
Etc.
Here is the question:
Is the boat that your on better off because your on board?
One man saves everyone’s life because He was on board.
One almost cost everyone on the ship their life because he was on board.
If you are a believer in Jesus, every boat that your on is supposed to be better because your on board and because God is in you and because you have a purpose.
How many times do you bring death on the boat?
How many times do you bring life to your boat?
So lets start being a life saver! Not a sinker! Tweet at someone publically and tell them, “You make my boat better!” They wont know what you mean. They will probably think its creepy. But tell them anyways! YOU MAKE MY BOAT BETTER!
I love you guys! You guys are the light and salt of the Earth. Make someone’s boat better!
