More than a Story - It is a Lesson

   

     When we venture into Luke's Travel Log in Acts 27, there is far more story packed into these forty-four verses than meets the eye.  It may appear like a personal diary giving play-by-play details, yet I wish to show the noteworthy lessons packed into this Scriptural text.  First, let's give some thought to how Paul, not because he's a prisoner but because of his focus, might look at this journey from a different perspective than the captain and the crew aboard these sailing vessels.  Our views determine how we respond to challenging situations and can easily impact the way we make decisions.  Can we find some patterns or principles within this account to apply to our current-day lives? 

     I thought it might be fun to remember two voyages that we may have been familiar with as children.  Each journey comes from a different perspective.  Let's look at the opening preludes to these two television shows. 

Star Trek – "Space, the final frontier…These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise.  It is a five-year mission:  to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life, and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before."   

     Might this cause us to think of the recent mission to Mars?  In the Star Trek series, danger lurked around every corner.  Although we may not be inclined to think of danger regarding the Mar's mission, the space rover's named Perseverance should tell us that Nasa thought there would be many obstacles to overcome along its path.  No doubt, life as we know it requires perseverance.  Paul often warns Christians to persevere.  If we, as believers, face adversities in life, does our faith and foundation allow us to handle circumstances differently than those who have neither faith nor foundation in Jesus Christ?     

The Twilight Zone – "It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity.  It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge.  This is the dimension of imagination.  It is the area we call the Twilight Zone."   

     This journey seems a little more mystical, a little more uncertain.  Can we recognize that where we place our hope would have an impact on our outlook?  Can we acknowledge that fear may alter our ability to make sound decisions?  When faced with insurmountable unknowns, do we look to man's knowledge and science to provide answers?  Or do we rely on superstition and imagination to fill in the gaps?  I'm afraid that our society leans more toward a Twilight Zone perspective when searching for answers to life's disruptions.    

     Would you take a moment to read Acts 27, and while doing so, can you think about what kind of journey Paul is taking when he leaves Caesarea for Rome?  Does he have the same shared experience as his traveling companions, the centurion, the captain, or the crew?  With this notion in mind as you read, I hope you will discover more than a  travel log but also a life-giving lesson. 

     Now, I am going to ask you to use your imagination.  Could Luke's log read something like a Star Trek episode as he records one event after another?  "Captain's Log – Star Date 59.75 AD, we have just left port aboard the SS Adramyttium.  These are the events that took place during our travel between Caesarea and Malta."  Acts 27 only captures the first six ports on a ten-port journey.  At the first port, Paul boards a ship from Adramyttium, and later, he changes vessels in Alexandria.  Is it just my imagination that these names sound a bit like galaxies?

     Do you notice in this story that Luke often points to obstacles?  He uses "with difficulty" (3 times), "driven" (3 times), "violently storm-tossed" (once), and "dangerous" (once).  It becomes apparent that unfavorable weather conditions are playing havoc on their travel comfort.  Sometimes storms hit us in that way, one after another.  Think about the recent snowstorm in Texas; this storm had a one-two punch, including extensive power outages, food and water shortages, travel difficulties, and the inability to fulfill vaccination plans during this pandemic.  We all know experiences in life that have taken us from bad to worse.  I believe it is relevant to highlight how the crew in Paul's journey handled navigation while experiencing hardships.

     At the center of this story, I see four ways that the crew navigated repetitive storms. 

1.         The crew focused on their pilot's experience and the ship's owner's opinion when making decisions.

2.         They reasoned that the current location of their vessel was unsuitable for the upcoming season. 

3.         They used logic to formulate their plans allowing the majority to rule.

4.         They observed the natural world and used it as a reliable source of information.

      If we were to compare our decision-making skills at the most basic level, might we acknowledge how closely it resembles our own pattern?  Let me ask, How often do we check the weather channel to make plans?  When do we use our past experiences to guide our thinking?   Or do we consult God with our plans and hold them loosely?  How often do we say, "LORD willing?"   I even watch my kids consult a website to predict the likelihood of a snow day, allowing it to be a deciding factor when making plans.   

     Did you notice how many times Luke reports that an invisible force is a major cause for most of their travel difficulties (namely the wind)?  Twice in the story, he speaks of fear.  In both instances, we notice that the crew is making decisions in the face of fear.  Let's look at what fear caused them to do.

1.         They lowered their gear allowing the invisible force to drive them along.

2.         They began to dispose of things that weighed them down,

3.         They first discarded items that belonged to others (the cargo).  Was it insured?

4.         As the storms continued, they threw away life-sustaining nourishment putting their own survival at risk.

5.         They lost all hope.

     Taken at face value, this is no longer a story about Paul's trip but an illustration of a man's journey.  How do we solve problems in uncertainty?  In uncharted waters?  What invisible forces do we give in to, allowing them, not God, to steer our path?  When do we dispose of things that weigh us down (relationships, jobs, circumstances that hinder our forward progress)?  Do we consider giving up on a life-sustaining resource offered to give us hope (God)?  Without a firm foundation, storms can create acts of desperation and cloud our thinking, predominantly when driven by fear. 

     The second-wave of fear in the story influenced the crew working in darkness to rely on sound equipment rather than sight to detect unseen dangers.  Then Luke's account reveals they let down their anchor and prayed for morning.  It doesn't say they prayed until morning.  If I were to share my impression of this prayer, I would venture to guess they weren't questioning whether morning would arrive but whether they would live to see it.  To a non-believing crew, who would they address in their prayers?  How certain were they that this 'unknown' god would hear them?  What kind of prayer does a man of despair cry when he is without a relationship with the one to whom he prays?  Does God hear?  I can't imagine that this prayer caused peace amid the storm.

     As our world has faced months of uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, haven't we all witnessed these types of prayers?  When prayer is a last-ditch-effort or merely an expression (pray that this season will pass), what is it worth?  When our prayers exclude "Thy Will Be Done" and become a request to be released from discomfort, do they show any respect or reverence for God or His Will?

     After they prayed for morning, we are front-row witnesses to the hearts of these men.  The story's narrative tells us that the skilled crew decided to abort the ship under the pretense of a salvage effort.  These men actions focused on self-preservation.  They held little regard for the welfare of others.  Meanwhile, let's look at how Paul was responding.

     Luke's log told of four occasions where Paul's christ-like perspective helped him focus on the welfare of others.      

1.         Paul tried to warn others of impending dangers.

2.         Paul encouraged fearful men to place faith in God.

3.         Paul revealed there was only one path to safety.

4.         Paul encouraged the men to take nourishment to restore their strength.

     Let's see if we can apply Paul's advice to our lives' journey.  Do we focus on the needs of others and warn them of impending dangers?  Do we encourage those living in fear to place their faith and trust in God?  Do we acknowledge that there is only one True path to safety?  Do we nourish ourselves in the Word of God to find strength and encourage others to do likewise?

     While this story appears to end with a safe swim to shore, we do not know how many men learned to place their faith and trust in God.  We see how they were tossed and turned in a storm and relied heavily on their own understanding.  They had not taken time to build a firm foundation in God or His Word.  Isn't this also reflected in our world today?  As Paul spoke to the crew, he was urging and encouraging those around him.  Paul's life focus was the gospel.  He was always trying to save men.  He knew if these men died physical deaths, it would be too late to keep them from eternal destruction.     

     Although this account may seem to be just a story in the Bible, I might suggest that it is a vital lesson that teaches us how to battle invisible forces that create obstacles and hardships.  This story clearly illustrates how men navigate the storms in life without God, and it should encourage us to demonstrate how our faith allows us to trust God and believe in His promises.