A few weeks ago our daily readings led us to the 27th chapter of the Acts. It is a narrative of Paul’s sea voyage on his way to Rome, to appear before Caesar. Authorities of sea epics tell us, that the account of Paul’s ship wreck, his description of the maneuverings of the ship and of the wreck at Malta, are the most vivid descriptions of such happenings in ancient literature. Thrilling and appealing as the narrative is, we think it contains much that can form the basis of an exhortation.
The narrative is supplied by Luke, who was an eye witness of all described. The courtesy towards Paul by the Centurion Julius and the liberty granted him to go unto his friends to refresh himself, is not forgotten. Maybe, such kindness as this along with others showered upon Paul at different times, is his reason in his epistles to request that, “supplication, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made to all men. For kings and for all in authority : that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” 2 Timothy 2 :1-2.
Verse 4 of the chapter records that “they sailed under Cyprus because the winds were contrary.” What unnecessary troubles could be avoided, not only in the life of our daily routine, but in ecclesial difficulties also, if when things appear to be contrary, we change our intended direction, our view point, instead of opposing a blank opposition, we try to meet difficulties half way.
Verse 18 “And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship.” Are there not many days when we are exceedingly tossed with a tempest ? Do we daily allow the tempest to assail us, without endeavoring to lighten the load ? Do we often enough cast our burdens upon the Lord, that He might sustain and comfort us ? He has asked us to take his yoke upon us and lean on Him. The yoke of which Christ spoke was borne by two, the experienced and the inexperienced. It is Christ’s yoke, not ours. With his help, the burden can be lightened.
“When upon life’s billows
You are tempest tossed,
When you feel discouraged
Thinking all is lost
Count your blessings,
Count them one by one
And it will surprise you
What the Lord hath done.”
Verse 20 “And when neither sun or stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was taken away.” How often in life does the path of the Christian seem darkened, the daily trials and difficulties that be-set the way ; the repetition of “those little sharp vexations and the briars that catch and fret ;” the causes that make us feel so depressed as if there is no way out. Everything seems so dark ; but the stars and the sun do shine ; it is our vision that is clouded and our darkened mood hides them from our view. Those dull days of our clouded life are the effect of causes. There must be a reason for the cause, let us endeavour to find that, and we can remedy the effect. Jesus supplies the answer “0 ye of little faith.”
Browning said, “God is in heaven, all’s right with the world.” His optimism needs qualifying. The world must recognise, God does exist and is able to help, before that right can be effective, and that applies particularly to His children. We may be tried, and tried severely but providing we trust in God, deliverance will be ours. Hebrews 12, part of verse 2 reads “Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.” The standard revised version renders it “Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” A pioneer is one who goes before, breaking the trail, and making it easier for others to follow. Those of us who know the denseness of our forests can appreciate the meaning. Christ has opened up a path for us to follow, he has experienced our trials and has conquered, and is “now the way, the truth and the life.” We should consider Him lest we be weary and faint in our minds.
The wording of verse 20 must be taken as evidence that Paul had lost hope of surviving the voyage. It was the general feeling of the other travelers with Paul. The following verses negatives that idea, for verses 22-24 reads “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer ; for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you but of the ship ; for there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am and whom I serve, saying, fear not Paul, for thou must be brought before Caesar and lo God hath given thee all that sail with thee ! Such was the explicit faith of Paul, he could but say, “I believe God, that it should be even as it was told me.” Upon the basis of this faith Paul foiled the strategy of the escaping ship men. Under cover of casting anchors out of the fore-ship they ere about to lower a boat into the sea and escape. Paul gave warning that “except these abide in the ship ye cannot be saved.” The soldiers believing Paul, “cut the ropes, and let the boat fall off.” Verse 30-32.
The remaining part of the chapter describes what then took place until the boat ran aground where the two seas met. The hinder part was broken by the violence of the waves ; but the fore part stuck fast and remained unmovable. Here upon the shores of Mileta, now called Malta, in the geographic St. Paul’s Bay, they set foot on dry land.
The chapter ends in verse 24 with these words, “And the rest some on boards and some on broken pieces of the ship, and so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.”
When Paul in his epistles exhorts the ecclesias to remain unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord, we wonder whether his last voyage and escape was in his mind.
May we suggest a comforting thought by symbolizing “Boards and broken pieces of the ship safely cast ashore.” The church of God is composed of all classes. The material of its members is very varied, too varied to mention. Our calling is a lofty one, and the Christian principles which we are called upon to observe and obey, are not so easily put into practice. There will be many failures ; but our failures are not reason to be a cause of despair. The Christian life is not born, it is developed. The gospel has not called saints but sinners to be heirs to eternal life. The poet has said “to err is human.” The Bible tells us it is an inheritance obtained from our first parents. The prompting to sin effects all in different ways ; but it does assail us, and that often. It is ever with us. Read Romans 8:14-21 at your leisure. It is no shame that this tendency to sin is ours, the shame occurs when the tendency masters us and we fall. We shall all fall and perish, unless we realise as Paul did, that only one can deliver us, namely Christ ; and so long as we avail ourselves of the mediators hip of Jesus who can attain the victory. How is it done ? God has said “My grace is sufficient for you.” Sufficient means ample ; it can be more or less ; but it is enough. There is another word complementary with sufficient, namely deficient. Deficient means not enough or a lacking. Now deficiency attacks us all, none are free from it. Our salvation depends upon the binding of these two words. When in the development of a Christian life we fall, providing we rise again, confess our sins, and in prayer plead to God through Christ, then our deficiency can be supplemented by the sufficiency of God and we again are made whole. That deficiency in us whether small or great is made sufficient to save by the grace of God. Paul makes it very clear when he writes “For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many, redown to the glory of God.”
Here I think lies the answer to many would be believers. On the threshold of a choice to make some have turned away saying, they knew that they could not live the Christian life. That is true were they asked to do so in their own strength ; but they are not. Every help is offered, the love of Christ is pleading to His Father for their short comings, and the promise of God to supply to their deficiency that sufficient grace to carry them to the goal of eternal life. All that is asked of them is, in their pitfalls through sin they rise again and plead for forgiveness to the throne of grace. Charles Gore in one of his saying puts it this way, “God never tires of our repeated failures providing we get up and try again. It is when we fail to get up and try again that God is displeased with us.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One