SAILING - PART TWO
- So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
- Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.
In our lives journey, we must set sail, by yielding our mind and will to the leading of the Holy Spirit, in major and minor decisions. Acts 16:6-12
- Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them. Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samothrace, and the next day came to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days.
The LORD has commissioned us to "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel..." and that is what we must do, unless the LORD leads us otherwise in certain situations like in the above passage. It is therefore very important for us to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, even in interpreting and obeying the word of GOD.
The apostles were going about the work of the LORD and their motive was clear and yet they sensed they were not going in the direction of the move of the Spirit when they headed towards Asia and Bithynia. They did not assume that it was the devil who was trying to hinder them from fulfilling GOD's command to go into all the world and preach the Gospel!
Because they were sensitive and obedient to the Holy Spirit, they arrived in Philippi in Macedonia where Lydia and her household were prepared to get baptized. The slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination was set free and then the Philippian jailer and his household were saved.
Paul and Silas were beaten with rods and put into prison for preaching the Gospel. This suffering did not mean that they were outside of GOD's will. The LORD was with them and the Holy Spirit continued to guide, comfort and strengthen them.
We must run with the Spirit even if that path entails inconvenience, danger and suffering. It is the lifestyle of a true follower of CHRIST!
- And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy, they delivered Paul and some other prisoners to one named Julius, a centurion of the Augustan Regiment. So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we put to sea, meaning to sail along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us. And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care.
As Paul had appealed to Caesar, he was taken out of the Philippian jail, injured and wounded, and was being taken with other prisoners to Rome. GOD gave him favour in the eyes of the centurion. Aristarchus was with him and Luke the physician probably joined Paul at this point.
- When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. And when we had sailed over the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy, and he put us on board.
Luke, the author of this book, includes himself in this record.
Sailing with difficulty because the wind was contrary, probably reminded Paul of his life prior to his conversion. He may have realised the truth of those words of the LORD, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads." Acts 9:5
- When we had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, the wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salmone. Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea.
The leading and the move of the Holy Spirit in Paul's journeys was very similar to the effects of the wind in this sailing experience! Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.
- Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous because the Fast was already over, Paul advised them, saying, "Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives."
The Apostle Paul had learnt the importance of making decisions sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and the danger of not doing so, which could result in wasted time, mental stress, loss of possessions, finances, relationships and even losing out on spiritual and eternal life.
- Nevertheless the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there also, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there. When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete.
How easy it is to follow the worldly mindset and worldly wisdom, decide according to rational thinking, outward appearances and circumstances and take the counsel of the majority?
But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon. So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty. When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven. And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. On the third day we threw the ship's tackle overboard with our own hands. 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. 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. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.' Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. However, we must run aground on a certain island." Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms. Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come. And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, "Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved." Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off. And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you." And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat. Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea.
It was now obvious that Paul had heard from GOD because his word about the disaster came to pass and the sailors and soldiers respected Paul and listened to him.
When we are tempest tossed in life, we must secure the skiff - the life boat which depicts JESUS, our only hope. Like in a war situation when the enemy comes against us strongly, we will not be able to progress, but we must not lose ground. We must stand firm, facing the enemy with the whole armor of GOD, our soul anchored and undergirded firmly to GOD by the cable of faith. Thus we let ourselves 'Drive' by the Holy Spirit, totally surrendered to Him and resting in the LORD.
The next thing to do is to lighten our life by purposefully cutting off excesses of covetousness, diversions and distractions of worldliness to save time and energy to strengthen ourselves spiritually. We must learn to be content and thankful to GOD our Heavenly Father, Who has promised to give us our daily bread, clothes and all our needs.
When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible. And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.
Our life is like a sailboat on the sea of the systems, philosophy, empty deceit, traditions of men, and basic principles of the world. How our eyes strain to see the shore and our hearts long to reach it!
Everything that holds us to this world including our physical body, will be cut off like the anchors of the ship and be left back in this world.
At this point, the apostle Paul may have had a vision of the last lap of his life, in relation to the current experience with the ship. As the body of the ship, his body had already been broken and bruised but his soul was set to follow closely after the Spirit as he kept his focus on CHRIST.
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:13-14
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58
- And the soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.
Now when they had escaped, they then found out that the island was called Malta. And the natives showed us unusual kindness; for they kindled a fire and made us all welcome, because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.
GOD's grace also gave Paul and the others favour in the eyes of strangers.
- But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat, and fastened on his hand. So when the natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he has escaped the sea, yet justice does not allow to live." But he shook off the creature into the fire and suffered no harm. However, they were expecting that he would swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had looked for a long time and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds and said that he was a god.
Luke 10:19
- In that region there was an estate of the leading citizen of the island, whose name was Publius, who received us and entertained us courteously for three days. And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him. So when this was done, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed.
- They also honored us in many ways; and when we departed, they provided such things as were necessary.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matthew 6:33
- After three months we sailed in an Alexandrian ship whose figurehead was the Twin Brothers, which had wintered at the island. And landing at Syracuse, we stayed three days. From there we circled round and reached Rhegium. And after one day the south wind blew; and the next day we came to Puteoli, where we found brethren, and were invited to stay with them seven days. And so we went toward Rome.
Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him. Acts 28:30-31 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8
