[사모하는교회 • 백승철 목사] 사도행전 강해 (59) 27:13-26 | 내게 말씀하신 그대로 되리라 #사모하는교회 #백승철목사 #주일예배 #주일예배설교 #사도행전 #사도행전강해

Preacher: Pastor Baek Seung-cheol

Date: 2026-09-28

The journey of Paul towards Rome is just like the movie 'Odyssey.' What is causing so many obstacles? There are many incidents and accidents, and the trial has been ongoing for two years. The voyage is not looking good. Right now, in Acts 27, the content of the passage we are going to preach is at a small harbor called Fair Havens on the island of Crete. At that time, Paul makes a suggestion. He says they should stay in Fair Havens. If they leave this harbor, not only will the ship be damaged, but they will also face threats to their lives, especially during the winter months, which last about three months. At that time, ships did not sail in winter. The reason was that the weather conditions were too bad for ships to navigate the sea. However, no one accepts Paul's suggestion. The Bible does not record the names of those who agreed with Paul’s suggestion. The people there, including the captain and the owner of the ship, unanimously decide to leave Fair Havens and go to a harbor called Phoenix to spend the winter. Why did they do that? Because the conditions at Phoenix were better. The environment was so much better compared to Fair Havens that they decided to go there.

But if we look at the flow of the Bible, we see that what we think are good conditions and environments cannot be the standard of faith. They cannot be the measuring stick of God. This confirms that we cannot see God's will through such environments, nor can we see His purpose in them. The only reason they do not listen to Paul's advice is that Phoenix is better than Fair Havens. Because of this reason, they leave Fair Havens, and finally, the ship begins to move towards Phoenix. This ship is a large cargo ship from Alexandria. It is about a 40-mile distance. They set sail. Look at verse 13. Shall we read it? "When a gentle south wind began to blow, they saw their purpose was achieved, so they weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete." Yes, do you remember from last week? Fair Havens and Phoenix are 40 miles apart, and they are harbors on the island of Crete. They set out, but do you feel anything while reading this scripture? Can it be expressed like this? There are no problems at all. The gentle south wind blows and pushes the ship along. So, those who agreed to go to Phoenix think that they have achieved their purpose. They think their judgment was right. And what do they say behind Paul’s back? They might be gossiping about him. They might say, "Look at this guy who wanted to stay in Fair Havens. Look at the good weather and no problems at all." The most noteworthy part is that they thought they had achieved their purpose. Yes, they thought their judgment was correct, and they believed their plans were clear and certain, so they sailed along the shore. What a beautiful scene! There are no problems. Yes, they set out smoothly, but what happens next? Look at verse 14. Incredible things begin to happen. Read verse 14. "Before long, a wind of hurricane force, called the Northeaster, swept down from the island." It didn’t take long. This is not a matter of days or three days. Before long, a violent wind, a hurricane called the Northeaster, arises. The name of this storm is even recorded. Other English translations refer to it as a hurricane. When we think of a hurricane, it is the most powerful kind of storm. That level of storm hit them. It happened before long. Yes, it’s astonishing. Can the situation turn upside down in such a short moment? Can things become this complicated? Yes. Before long, a hurricane called the Northeaster arises from the island, and terrible events begin to unfold. Complicated matters arise. They are stuck in a situation. Now, look at verse 15. "The ship was caught by the storm and could not head into the wind; so we gave way to it and were driven along." The storm pushes them along. Where is the storm pushing the ship? Is it moving towards Phoenix? No, it begins to move in another direction. The ship, unable to resist the storm, is now in a situation where it can only be driven along. Believers, look. In the Korean version of Acts, verse 14 is recorded like this: "Before long, a wind of hurricane force." It says "before long." Yes, indeed. Look again at verse 13. It’s not verse 14 but verse 13 that says, "When a gentle south wind began to blow." Now, at the time of departure, our Bible inserts the adverb "before long." What does this mean? It means everything is falling into place perfectly. Their intentions, plans, and choices to head towards Phoenix are aligning perfectly. It’s astonishing. So, they thought they had achieved their purpose, and the author of Acts, Luke, records their mindset. There is something very similar in the book of Jonah. Jonah is called by God, but he runs away to Tarshish. He disobeys God’s call and goes to Tarshish, and the book of Jonah clearly states that he went down to Joppa to flee from the Lord. It also includes the adverb "before long." He found a ship going to Tarshish. He boards that ship and runs away. When you flee from the Lord, everything seems to fall into place perfectly, just like the gentle south wind blowing, making them think they have achieved their purpose. But that is the path to destruction. When you turn away from God, everything seems to be going well. All the conditions are perfectly aligned. It’s as if the gentle south wind is blowing. When fleeing from the Lord, you find a ship going to Tarshish. Is that the path God wants? Yes, is that the path God planned? Is that the path that contains God’s will? Those who do not know this think they have achieved their purpose and are happy. Now, look at verses 14 and 15. Before long, such events unfold. The situation arises where they cannot head into the wind. Now, imagine this like a scene from a movie as you read and understand chapter 27. What must they do? The people on the ship must try to solve the problem under the influence of this storm. The efforts they make are recorded in detail in the Bible. Look at verse 16. They make such efforts. "As we passed to the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were hardly able to make the lifeboat secure." The ship is being pushed by the storm, not towards Phoenix but in another direction, and they see a small island called Cauda. This island could be a lifeline for all the people on board the Alexandrian ship. After passing this island, they will not see any other islands until they reach another destination. This island is like a lifeline. Therefore, the ship must reach this island by any means necessary. They must survive somehow. However, this island is very small. They are completely discouraged. They are sinking to the bottom. They see hope, but they are in a situation where they cannot even reach that island. So, what do they do? They manage to hoist the lifeboat aboard. What is the lifeboat? Yes, it’s a small boat. This Alexandrian ship is a large cargo ship. They tie this small boat at the back with a rope and take it along. This is because when the ship gets close to land, if the water is too shallow for the ship to move, they will need to use the lifeboat. They manage to hoist the lifeboat and then proceed to bind the ship’s hull with ropes. They are making every effort to prevent the ship from being damaged by the storm. They are afraid they might run aground on the sandbars. What are sandbars? They say there are such things under the sea. Large ships can get wrecked and damaged. If the ship hits a sandbar, it can break apart. If they run aground on the sandbars, the ship cannot move. They cannot budge. They know that this area has sandbars, and the captain, crew, and many people on board are aware of this. They lower the tackle. They throw things into the sea. They are trying to lighten the ship, and they are just being driven along. What are they being driven along by? They are being pushed by the storm. They are in a situation where they cannot move. There’s more. Now, let’s look at this. The phrase "being driven along by the storm" has a significant meaning. They should be trying to avoid the storm, but they are in a situation where they cannot escape it. If they are pushed by the storm, they could die. They are being pushed into a situation where they could die. There’s nothing they can do. Despite their tremendous efforts, there is no way to solve the problem. Look at verse 17. Look at verse 18. Verse 17: "We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard." Finally, they hoist the lifeboat onto the deck and throw out their equipment, but since the problem is not resolved, the sailors throw the cargo into the sea. What is this cargo? It could be the goods carried on the cargo ship or other cargo. In any case, they throw it into the sea to lighten the ship. In verse 19, on the third day, what do they throw overboard? "They threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands." They throw out the tackle. This is a sad scene. The sailors throw out the cargo and tackle, which could include things like beds or chairs necessary for moving the ship. They throw everything into the sea. Who throws it? They throw it with their own hands. The fact that they threw out the cargo means money. If you think about it, it’s all money. Grain is money, and cargo is money. Everything that could be money when they reach Rome is thrown into the sea. It’s like throwing cash into the ocean. After this scene, can they escape the storm? What conclusion do they reach? Verse 20 summarizes it like this: "When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved." This is the conclusion. They are trying to solve the problem, but for many days, about 14 days, they could not see the sun or stars. The weather must have been cloudy. The sun and stars serve as a GPS for ships navigating at that time. If the sun and stars disappear, they cannot tell which way the ship is going. How much effort did they put in? They tried everything to stop the storm, but they could not solve the problem. Why couldn’t they solve the problem? The storm must be calmed, but human ability cannot calm the storm. They could not see the stars and were left in despair. According to the NIV translation, "We finally gave up all hope." All hope was finally lost. The very hope of salvation was gone. This does not refer to the salvation we believe in Jesus; it means that every thread of hope for continuing life was completely lost, and they were in a state of total despair. There was no way out. Look, when they were throwing cargo and equipment into the sea, there was still hope. They were still holding onto the hope that they could survive. But now, in verse 20, that hope has completely vanished. They have reached a situation where they can only die. Yet, there is no solution. But there is a solution. This is the gospel. In a situation where they could die, instead of dying, they will live; that is the gospel. We have all experienced this kind of life at least once. In life, there can be situations where you feel completely empty, to the point of giving up everything. At this time, people might have said, "If only we had listened to Paul when we were in Fair Havens." They might have thought, "If we had just stayed in Fair Havens, this wouldn’t have happened, and now our lives are at risk. How can we solve this?" They were in a state of despair. Who solves this problem? Paul does. Pay attention to how Paul resolves it. Look at verse 21. Let’s read together. "After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: 'Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss.'" What is strange here? Paul appears once again. This is another scene in the movie. When everyone has given up, Paul stands up and proclaims again, as in verse 21. The content of verse 21 strikes the heart. Here it says, "After they had gone a long time without food." Not everyone, but there are people who are seasick, and how much would they be tossing and turning? Some are injured, some have not eaten, and some feel threatened for their lives. In that situation, look at the message Paul delivers. You would think he would give them food and comfort them. But instead, he says, "You should have listened to me and not left." He asks, "If you had not left Fair Havens, would you have suffered this damage?" Yes. It could sound like he is saying, "Why didn’t you listen to me? Now you are suffering." It could sound like he is blaming them for their suffering. Why does Paul repeat the message he proclaimed at Fair Havens at this critical moment? There is a reason. The message Paul delivers is not based on his experience. It is not based on his knowledge. There are many unbelievers on this ship. If he were to preach, they would not be able to hear the content of the sermon. The content of Paul’s message is based on the knowledge of God’s word and the faith that believes in God. He expresses that foundational content in ordinary language. That is why Paul had to proclaim this message once again, powerfully. And he says, "I urge you now." Look at verse 22. Let’s read together. "But now I urge you to keep up your courage, because not one of you will be lost; only the ship will be destroyed." This is a message of hope. The people there have all given up. They have decided that there is no way out but death, but Paul tells them to take heart. The meaning of "take heart" is to rejoice. In a situation where the ship is about to capsize, Paul says to rejoice. The reason for this is that not one of them will lose their life. This is a proclamation. Therefore, the center of Paul’s message cannot be anything other than the word of God. In other words, it is a declaration that God will save their lives. He expresses that message in ordinary language. This was the only way they could survive. Believers, the journey to Rome is not easy by ship. It is very complicated, and many incidents occur. Through the direction of the ship heading to Rome, we reach three conclusions that can help us reflect on our faith and belief. Let’s look at verse 23. Verse 23: "Last night an angel of the God whose I am and whom I serve stood beside me." Paul is on the brink of death. The ship is about to be wrecked. A storm is raging. At that moment, listen carefully to what Paul says about his belonging. Who does he belong to? He belongs to God. He serves that God. He does not belong to the captain, the ship, the owner, or even to the people. He belongs only to God. He is a servant of that God. He clearly reveals his identity. In difficult and challenging situations, it is not in good situations that we reveal our faith. It is in the most difficult and challenging times that we reveal our identity. We confirm this once again. Secondly, look at verse 24. "Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you." This is a difficult voyage, but the second thing to confirm is the mission. It is the calling of God that He has given to Paul. No matter the situation, Paul does not waver in the calling God has given him. He does not waver when he is arrested. He does not waver when he is on trial. He does not waver even when the storm is raging and the ship is sinking. He boldly states, "God has called me and entrusted me with a mission. What mission? To go to Rome and preach the gospel before the emperor." This is a certainty about his mission. If God has called me to be the pastor of Desiring Church, then if this certainty and calling disappear, I cannot preach from this place. Believers, the calling of God does not change. God does not change. If God has called us as His children, the relationship with His children never changes. Who damages that? We do. Even in a life-and-death situation, Paul did not waver in his calling and mission from God. He openly declared that mission. The third certainty is in verse 25. Let’s read together. "So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me." This is a powerful assurance. I believe that what God has told me will happen. Amen. I am confident that it will happen. It does not end there; I believe in the God who makes it happen. This is powerful. What could be stronger than this? Believers, the 66 books of the Bible must come into our lives, into our ministries, and into our missions, and we must believe that they will happen as they are written. Amen. Only then can we experience God’s blessings, right? Only then can we experience God’s grace, right? In a life-and-death situation, Paul was filled with the assurance that his faith and belief would come to pass. Therefore, we must be cast onto an island, he said. This is amazing. It seems impossible, but after proclaiming the assurance of belonging, the calling of the mission, and the assurance of faith, Paul states clearly that while the ship may be driven by the storm, it will not completely perish; they will definitely reach an island. It is an island, but he does not know which island. However, Paul was confident that they would reach an island. This is evidence of his faith in God that it will happen as He has said. Believers, as we reflect deeply on today’s message, let us reconsider our faith life. I am a being belonging to God. Amen. Revealing that fact in the most difficult and challenging times is not ordinary faith and belief. People may not believe it. Then, in good conditions and environments, one can say they believe in God’s blessings, but when they are swept away by a storm and on the brink of death, to reveal that their belonging is to God and that they serve and worship that God even in that situation is not an ordinary level of faith. We must hold onto that direction and walk forward in those moments. We also reaffirm our certainty about the calling of our mission. May we also have a journey of ministry and faith where we can confess that God’s word will come to pass in our lives. Amen.