Shipwreck at Malta

Last time. At Fair Havens Paul warned the men, but “the majority advised to set sail” (27:12). A soft wind. “When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete” (27:13). Supposing means thinking it was true. The gentle wind made it look like they had been right. The storm. “But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon” (27:14). Tempestuous means stormy and wild. Euroclydon was the name of a strong wind from the northeast. Driven. “So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive” (27:15). They let the wind push the ship wherever it went. Everything they could. They pulled in the skiff, a small boat. They wrapped cables around the ship to hold it together. They threw out cargo and then “the ship’s tackle” (27:16-19). No hope left. “Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up” (27:20). What we learn. A soft wind can make a wrong choice look right. Our own strength runs out. Paul was in the storm because he was a prisoner on that ship, not because he had done wrong. Hard days come to people who love God too, but no storm is too big for Him.

The soft wind (27:13). “When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete.” The gentle breeze seemed to prove the majority right and Paul’s warning wrong (27:10-12). Typhonikos. “But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon” (27:14). “Tempestuous” is typhonikos (say: too-foh-nee-KOS), a whirling, violent storm wind. Euroclydon was a fierce wind out of the northeast. Let her drive (27:15-17). The ship could not head into the wind, so the crew let it run before the storm. Under the shelter of Clauda they hauled in the skiff, wrapped cables around the hull and lowered the sail, afraid of the Syrtis Sands. Lightening the ship (27:18-19). They threw cargo overboard, and on the third day “we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.” Luke says “we.” Most likely he was there, throwing gear into the sea with the rest. The end of hope (27:20). “Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.” With no sun or stars, sailors could not find their position. Skill, strength and experience had all run out. Storms and faithfulness. Paul was not in this storm because he had disobeyed God. He was a prisoner on a ship he had warned against. Faithful people still meet storms. Application. When human effort reaches its end, God has not reached His. The ship’s company had given up hope, but the Lord had not given up on them.

In our last lesson, Paul warned the men not to sail. But most of them wanted to go on. At first a soft wind blew from the south. The men thought they had what they wanted. Then the Northeaster hit the ship. The men tried everything they could think of. They tied ropes around the ship. They threw things into the sea. For many days they saw no sun or stars. Then they gave up hope. Did God forget the ship? No! God saw it the whole time. Hard times can come to people who love God. Paul was in the storm too. But God never stopped caring for him.

A big storm came. The men lost all hope. But God had not forgotten them.

Paul stands up. “But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, ‘Men, you should have listened to me’ ” (27:21). Abstinence from food means going without eating. Why say it? Most likely Paul said this so they would listen to what came next. Take heart. “And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship” (27:22). To take heart means to be brave and cheerful again. An angel. “For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve” (27:23). An angel is a messenger sent by God. The message. The angel said, “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you” (27:24). I believe God. Paul said, “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me” (27:25). Part of this is our memory verse. An island. “However, we must run aground on a certain island” (27:26). What we learn. The storm was still roaring when Paul said this. Faith means believing what God says even when everything around you looks hopeless. Paul believed God, and his faith gave courage to everyone on board.

A word spoken in hunger (27:21). “But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, ‘Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.’ ” Most likely Paul named the mistake so they would listen to what came next. Euthymeo. “And now I urge you to take heart” (27:22). “Take heart” is euthymeo (say: yoo-thoo-MEH-oh), to be of good spirit, cheerful and brave. Paul says it twice (27:22, 25). Whose Paul was (27:23). “For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve.” Before Paul gave the message, he named the God he belonged to. The promise (27:24). “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.” In Jerusalem the Lord had said Paul would testify in Rome (23:11). The storm could not cancel that word. Faith rests on God’s word (27:25). “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me.” Paul’s courage came from what God had said, not from the weather. Honest about the cost (27:26). “However, we must run aground on a certain island.” God promised lives, not an easy landing. Application. Faith is not pretending the storm is small. It is taking God at His word while the storm is still loud, and that kind of faith steadies the people around you.

The men had not eaten for a long time. Then Paul stood up. He reminded them that he had warned them. But he did not stop there. He said, “But now I tell you to cheer up.” An angel from God had come to Paul in the night. The angel told Paul not to be afraid. God would save everyone on the ship. Paul said, “I trust in God.” Paul was in the same storm as everyone else. The wind was still strong. But he believed what God had said. You can trust God’s words too. What God says is always true.

Paul told the men to cheer up. God had sent an angel with good news. Paul trusted God.

Near land. On the fourteenth night the sailors “took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms” and then “fifteen fathoms” (27:28). Soundings measure how deep the water is. A fathom is six feet. Waiting for day. “They dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come” (27:29). Stay in the ship. Some sailors tried to slip away in the skiff. Paul said, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved” (27:31). Trusting God and acting wisely go together. Bread and thanks. Paul “took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all” (27:35). “Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves” (27:36). Every person. “And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship” (27:37). The wreck. The ship ran aground, and “the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves” (27:41). The stern is the back of the ship. Kept safe. The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so none would escape, but the centurion stopped them (27:42-43). All safe. “And so it was that they all escaped safely to land” (27:44). A picture. Many Christians see this storm as a picture of the hard times in a believer’s life. God does not always stop the storm, but He brings His people through it. What we learn. God kept every word He had spoken. Not one person was lost.

Soundings (27:27-29). “Twenty fathoms,” then “fifteen fathoms”: the sea floor was rising. They “dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come.” Faith and means (27:30-32). When some sailors tried to escape in the skiff, Paul said, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” God had promised every life, yet Paul did not treat the promise as a reason to do nothing. God’s promise and wise action worked together. Bread before dawn (27:33-38). Paul urged them to eat and “gave thanks to God in the presence of them all.” A prisoner was now steadying the whole ship. “In all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship.” The wreck (27:39-41). They made for a beach, but “the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.” The prisoners (27:42-43). The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so none would escape, but the centurion, “wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose.” Diasozo. “And so it was that they all escaped safely to land” (27:44). “Escaped safely” is diasozo (say: dee-ah-SOH-zoh), to bring safely through danger. Luke uses it again in 28:1. A picture. Many Christians see this storm as a picture of the trials in a believer’s life: God does not always remove the storm, but He brings His people safely through it. Application. Not one life was lost, just as God said. His word can be trusted to the last detail.

On the fourteenth night, the sailors thought land was near. Some sailors tried to sneak away in the lifeboat. Paul said everyone had to stay in the ship. So the soldiers cut the lifeboat loose. Paul trusted God, and he still made wise choices. Before dawn, Paul took bread and thanked God. Then all the men felt better and ate. Later the ship hit a sandbank and broke apart. Julius kept Paul and the other prisoners safe. Then every person got to land. That was 276 people! God did exactly what He said. Many Christians see this storm as a picture of hard times. God does not always stop the storm. But He brings His people through it.

Paul thanked God for the bread. The ship broke, but everyone got to land. God did what He said!

Malta. “Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta” (28:1). The natives built a fire because of “the rain that was falling and because of the cold” (28:2). The viper. Paul gathered sticks, and “a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand” (28:3). A viper is a poisonous snake. Quick to judge. The natives said, “No doubt this man is a murderer” (28:4). They thought the snake proved Paul was guilty. They were wrong. No harm. “But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm” (28:5). Not a god. Then the natives “changed their minds and said that he was a god” (28:6). They were wrong again. Paul was a man, and God protected him so that he would reach Rome. This does not mean anyone should pick up a snake. Publius. Publius’ father “lay sick of a fever and dysentery,” a serious stomach sickness. Paul prayed and laid his hands on him, and God healed him (28:8). To Rome. At Puteoli “we found brethren” (28:14). Believers from Rome came to meet them, and “when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage” (28:15). In Rome Paul lived by himself with a soldier who guarded him (28:16). What we learn. God protected Paul, used him to help others and gave him brothers and sisters in Christ. Thank God for the believers He puts in your life.

Malta (28:1-2). “Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta.” The natives lit a fire “because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.” The viper (28:3-4). As Paul laid sticks on the fire, “a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand.” The natives reasoned, “No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live.” They thought the snake proved he was guilty. From murderer to god (28:5-6). “He shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm.” When nothing happened, “they changed their minds and said that he was a god.” Both judgments were wrong. Paul was not a god; he was a servant, and God preserved him to bring him to Caesar (27:24). God protected Paul here; no one should pick up a snake. Publius (28:7-10). Publius, “the leading citizen of the island,” received them for three days. His father “lay sick of a fever and dysentery”; Paul prayed, laid hands on him, and God healed him. God used the shipwreck to bring help and healing to an island. The road to Rome (28:11-15). At Puteoli “we found brethren.” Believers came out to meet him at Appii Forum and Three Inns, and “when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.” Arrival (28:16). Paul “was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.” Application. God’s people were waiting for Paul in a city he had never visited. Give thanks for the family of believers, and be the kind of believer who comes out to meet a traveler.

Everyone was safe on the island of Malta. It was cold and rainy. The people there made a fire for them. A snake came out and bit Paul’s hand. The people thought Paul was a murderer. But Paul shook the snake into the fire. He was not hurt at all. Then the people said Paul was a god. Was Paul a god? No! God was the One who kept him safe. Never touch a snake. Tell a grown-up if you see one. Paul prayed for Publius’ sick father, and God healed him. At last Paul came near Rome. Believers came out to meet him. Paul thanked God and felt brave again.

A snake bit Paul, but God kept him safe. People said Paul was a god, but he was not. Paul thanked God for his friends.