Lessons from the Storm
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Intro: As Paul boarded the ship a few weeks earlier, He knew nothing of all the difficulty that would befall him upon His journey to Rome. There are many lessons that one can learn amidst the storm. Paul, his companions, the ship’s crew, the other prisoners, and the soldiers had all landed safely on the Island of Melita after there ship had run aground and was destroyed. The crew and passengers were met by what the Bible describes as a barbarous people, yet they met these wearied travelers with great kindness and life saving help.
Paul suffered a snake bite which should have killed him, but God had other plans and He used the incident instead to work a miracle so that He could better use Paul to minister to this group of people. Since the time was very dangerous for sea travel, the crew is stranded here for a time of three months. As we see Paul waiting yet again, we are met with some vital lessons that can be learned from the storm.
A good friend Ron Caudal said yesterday that, “Reflection always adds to the servant, and that reflection always helps with application of the situation.”
God Gives Patience During the Storm: (Vs. 11-13)
a. The Practice of Waiting (practice makes permanent)
Sometimes, the Lord calms the storm, while other times He lets the storm rage on while He calms His child. In our lives we need to allow God to cultivate an attitude and spirit of patience. We live in such an impatient society, a fast food society, a society of get it now and pay later. Please remember that God’s time is not our time. We must learn to wait, listen for His voice, and move only as He bids us so.
Like the Psalmist who stated that:
I waited patiently for the Lord;
And he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,
And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:
Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
Or like the nation of Israel that heard these words of encouragement with there back against the Red Sea and the Egyptian army in hot pursuit.
And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
b. The Purpose of Waiting
God has lessons that He wants us to learn through the wait. He has people to whom He wants us to minister to through the wait. In His perfect omniscience, He knows when we need to move, and when we need to wait. We have to learn that...
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are my ways higher than your ways,
And my thoughts than your thoughts.
The Psalmist said it like this...
I had fainted, unless I had believed
To see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait on the Lord:
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart:
Wait, I say, on the Lord.
Or as Paul said to the Romans:
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
2. God Gives People During the Storm: (vs. 14)
a. Given by God
Our fellow Christians are a gift from God to us! The church is filled with believers encouraging each other. It is one of the many aspects that makes church such a blessing!
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Our view of other believer’s should tell us a great deal of our own spiritual condition… Do we look down at their flaws and condemn them, or do we exhort them to become more like Christ!
Another Ron Caudal quote: “The Christian life is contagious, it is sometimes taught but most often it is caught.” Are we living a life that encourages others, one that points others to Christ and to a life that is pleasing to Him!
b. Given for Consolation
These events take place sometime around three years after Paul wrote the letter to the church at Rome.
Encouraged through Fellowship: Paul had a desire to fellowship with these believers but has not yet had the opportunity to make the long trip to Italy, and what is clear is that they desired fellowship with him as well!
Encouraged through Acceptance: When the Christians in Italy heard Paul had arrived, “they came to meet us.” They came from many places across Italy!
Appii forum is a reference to Appius Forum, which was a town in Italy. It was forty-three miles from Rome on the Appian Way.
The three taverns was the name of a place along the Appian way between Rome and the Market of Appius. It was ten miles from Appius and thirty three miles from Rome. In Italian the word tavern has a different meaning then it does in English. A Roman tavern was any kind of shop.
Think of the encouragement that all of this must have been for Paul. For so many Christians to put off their daily responsibilities, to put life on hold, to travel, some as far as forty three miles to greet and encourage Paul and his companions. Paul was a prisoner but in some ways it ends up being more like a conquering general of Caesar's armies coming up the Appian Way which leads to Rome. Upon victory and return to Rome, many would come and meet them upon the way and celebrate there return and victory.
c. Encouraged through assistance: Along Paul’s journey from Jerusalem to Rome, God has placed Christians along the way to assist him in his travels, to help provide food, a place to stay and other provisions.
d. Encouraged through steadfastness: When Paul saw these believers who came out to greet him, think of the help given to press on. It is likely that many of these were the Christians that Paul had written to and addressed his epistle too. Now they’ve come to meet and greet the apostle, which had taken time to help and encourage them to keep pressing on, and now they are given the opportunity to do the same for him!
Jackie Robinson was the first black man to play major league baseball. Breaking baseball’s color barrier in 1947, he faced hostile crowds in every stadium. While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he committed an error. The fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered. It was then in that moment, that shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to Jackie and put his arm around his shoulder. It resulted in the quieting of the fans and encouraged Jackie to keep on. Robinson later stated that the kindness showed that day by Reese saved His career.
I thank God for the men and women in my life that have helped me along my way, and I want to be the same for others. Probably 5-6 years ago my good friend Pastor Chad Colburn and I had a conversation about making a difference in peoples life’s. He asked me to think about the men in my life that have had the greatest effect, so I sat there for a few moments and made a list in my head. He then proceeded to ask me if they were all over the age of forty to which I replied yes. We then sat there and talked about why that was, and how we both wanted to just be out of the way, and for God to use us here and now, and not have to wait until we reach a certain age of maturity. Realizing that the only thing that was keeping God from using us, was us...
God gives Persistence During the Storms. (vs. 15)
a. Paul recieved Courage in the Lord: When we are frightened, scared, or discouraged, we always have the choice of turning to God for strength and courage. One of the greatest blessing of the Christian life is not that we are without problems, but that we have the help that is needed to overcome any problem that life throws our way. That we do not have to fight our battles in our own strength, in fact, we cannot win those battles, unless we depend upon God and His empowering us for battle.
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
b.Paul recieved Courage for the Mission: Paul never let up in his purpose for living. He had been called by God, and he was determined not to abandon that calling upon His life.
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
It is with that, that Paul ministered in every situation! When he was tired, imprisoned, injured, shipwrecked, when he was alone, and even when he was weak, he continued to serve God!
At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
When you feel as though you cannot go on, stop depending on your own strength and start depending upon God.
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.