Sailing the Storm: Hope in Dark Times
Introduction: A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dug out what the score was. The boy responded, “18-0, we are behind.” then the man said “Oh boy! I bet your discouraged.” “Why would I be discouraged” the boy said “We haven't even gotten to bat yet!” - Now that is hope!
In Romans 15:13 - “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” Man's hope is simply wishful thinking. It is built on the shifting sands of emotions, feelings, desires, opinions, tangibles; things that are seen. But hope from the Holy Ghost has power to carry us through the most ferocious storms of life.
G.K. Chesterton said “Hope means hoping when things are hopeless or it is no virtue at all . . . as long as matters are really hopeful, hope is mere flattery . . . it is only when everything is hopeless that hope begins to be a strength.” This is really the theme of our message. It is the dark times when Hope is most needed and when hope is a strength. If you ever need a good dose of hope turn to the exciting book of Acts, it sometimes reads like an Indiana Jones adventure; there is prison breaks, shipwrecks, miracles, visions, resurrections, healings, and high drama. We see a supernatural God doing supernatural things. It is amazing!
We begin our adventure with apostle Luke in Acts 27 he writes about Paul and himself sailing to Rome, being taken there by a centurion named Julius who had befriended Paul, apparently, although he was their captor, he had a lot of respect for Paul and allowed him certain liberties that he wouldn't have allowed any other criminal. And as they are sailing to Rome they stop and board a larger merchant ship but because of the wind they struggle to get (130 miles) to Cnidus and decide to sail on and barely make it to a harbor named Fair Havens on the island of Crete.
Transition: In some ways we are all sailors trying to survive the next storm looking for clear days until we sail to heavenly shores. We will see three things about the sailors that traveled with the apostles: First, The sailors had a Storm warning, secondly, they became Storm weary and finally we will see How they weathered the Storm.
Sailors are given a Storm Warning (v. 9,10)
Paul warns his shipmates in verses 9,10 “... So Paul warned them, “Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo, and to our own lives also.”
That was very nice of Paul to say such a thing. That is, it wasn't nice to hear but godly men give good warnings. And even though they were in Fair Havens, it didn't mean it was a safe haven. Those places that seem to be the most pleasurable can be the most dangerous. The next verse says “...instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and owner of the ship.”
Although Julius respected Paul, apparently he trusted the opinion of the captain more. Many people will show due respect to ministers but they won't always heed their warnings. They will take the advice of the world before “that religious person.” After all the captain has sailed these waters for many years, surely, he has been through high waves and hurricanes and knows the weather and the wind well, his profession depends upon it! But Paul knew the one who created the wind and waves and tides and the seasons and the sea and the moon and stars and everything else. He knew the one who could say “peace be still” and it was by this God, that he foresaw disaster ahead. Disaster that could be avoided. He offered them a warning, but in verse 12 “...the majority decided that we should sail on ...”
Paul was essentially outvoted. They ignored his warning because of a gentle south wind (v.13). It seemed pleasant enough at the moment, No reason to believe it wouldn't stay that way, right? Except for the fact, there was an apostle who said otherwise. But what does he know about those things, He is just a “fanatic” “zealot” a “preacher”
A.W. Tozer once said something that many Christians and many ministers can relate to, He said “I wish I was popular for 20 minutes, . . . just to see what it feels like.” But when you’re up against pleasantries, worldliness, and good feelings, the truth, if it is unpleasant, will never be popular. It is unlikely to gain the majority vote. Paul warned them that disaster and great loss was coming. But they ignored his warning because things seemed pleasant at the moment.
Think of how many forsake the future because the present is good enough. Proverbs 22:3 - “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.” (NIV)
Ill. In 1969, in Pass Christian, Mississippi, a group of people were preparing to have a "hurricane party" in the face of a storm named Camille. Were they ignorant of the dangers? Could they have been overconfident? Did they let their egos and pride influence their decision? We will never know.
What we do know is that the wind was howling outside the posh Richelieu Apartments when Police Chief Jerry Peralta pulled up sometime after dark. Facing the Beach less than 250 feet from the surf, the apartments were directly in the line of danger. A man with a drink in his hand came out to the second-floor balcony and waved. Peralta yelled up, "You all need to clear out of here as quickly as you can. The storm's getting worse." But as other joined the man on the balcony, they just laughed at Peralta's order to leave. "This is my land," one of them yelled back. "If you want me off, you'll have to arrest me."
Peralta didn't arrest anyone, but he wasn't able to persuade them to leave either. He wrote down the names of the next of kin of the twenty or so people who gathered there to party through the storm. They laughed as he took their names. They had been warned, but they had no intention of leaving.
It was 10:15 p.m. when the front wall of the storm came ashore. Scientists clocked Camille's wind speed at more than 205 miles-per-hour, the strongest on record. Raindrops hit with the force of bullets, and waves off the Gulf Coast crested between twenty-two and twenty-eight feet high.
News reports later showed that the worst damage came at the little settlement of motels, go-go bars, and gambling houses known as Pass Christian, Mississippi, where some twenty people were killed at a hurricane party in the Richelieu Apartments. Nothing was left of that three-story structure but the foundation; the only survivor was a five-year-old boy found clinging to a mattress the following day. (sermonillustrations.com: Christian Values Qs Quarterly, Spring/Summer 1994, Page 10.)
Jesus gives us the greatest warning in Matthew 10:28 “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but can not kill the soul. Rather be afraid of the One who can destroy soul and body in hell.”
It is the most unpleasant thing to hear about, but it is the greatest kindness in the world to warn people about it, even if the result is ridicule. Its amazing that even without a verbal warning, how the signs of the times itself should warn people and lead them to repent, but if today has good weather and fair breezes, why worry about tomorrow? I can hear some one saying now “Pastor, didn't Jesus say not to worry about tomorrow...” yes. That's the point! Only if you are in Jesus, outside of him, you should worry every day! Because if you should die without him, your fate will be hell. But to the unsaved, if the gentle south wind is pleasant today then why trouble your mind with the possibility of a storm tomorrow? Just sail on.
C.S. Lewis said “The safest road to hell is the gradual one- the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”
Transition: The Sailors were given a Storm warning, and next we see that when the Storm blew through they gave up because they were Storm weary
Sailors gave up, because they were Storm Weary (v.18-20)
Let me draw your attention to verses 18 & 19
“We took such a violent battering from the storm that the next day they began to throw the cargo overboard. On the third day, they threw the ship's tackle overboard with their own hands.” v.18,19
You see the desperation of these sailors when faced with the full force of the storm.
A. The Violence of the storm
Luke says they took a “violent battering.” The wind drove the rains so violently it must have seemed as if God was pouring the sea itself into the ship, the great waves not only crashing but crushing the vessel as it climbs one steep wave nearly to capsize only to go steeply down again throwing everything and everyone around. The wind and waves blew and beat their ship from every direction! Have you ever felt like you have been taking a beating from every direction? You try to look down in humility and see the water rising. You look forward to forget whats behind only to meet a frigid cold or you look back to remember a comforting thought only to be hit with a contrary wind. You finally look up to God and get rain in your face. But if you won't heed the storm warning then you have no choice but to try and endure the storm itself. You must survive it, because you can not control it.
B. The darkness of the storm
“When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days..” v.20a
Not only is the storm violent but it is dark. During this time they didn't have GPS. They didn't even have a compass. They navigated by the stars. They couldn't see the sun at day nor the stars or moon at night. There is such a hopelessness in darkness. What did these sailors have to look forward to if they should die? Shipwrecks were so common during this time that archeologists have identified more than a thousand ancient shipwreck remains. And Pagans felt that those who died at sea never entered the realm of the dead; instead, their souls wandered aimlessly forever above the waters in which they drowned.
The Storm isn't only violent but brings a darkness that is filled with gloom and hopelessness. In three different places in the gospel of Matthew, Jesus describes hell as “outer darkness” and in each verse he says that there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” In hell there will be fire but no light. Despair but never hope. There are no tears in heaven but nothing but tears in hell- rivers of tears. In Dante's 'The Inferno' on the gates of hell, it is written “abandon all hope, ye that enter here.” There is indescribable gloom in this darkness.
Jude 1:13 refers to the 'blackest darkness'. A darkness like no other on earth. It is the highest and densest degree of darkness. It is darker than deepest and darkest cave. It is blacker than sackcloth. It is a darkness than can be felt inside you, a darkness so dark that shivers your spirit and melts your soul. Nothing can surpass the dread of going down down down . . into eternal darkness.
C. The continuation of the storm
“...and the storm continued raging,..” v.20b
Right when you think the storm is over you are hit with another wave and just as it seems there is a break in the clouds, the storm rages on. We think that we are in the clear and then we are blindsided with some terrible news or some type of trouble. The storm doesn't follow our desire, it doesn't give up because we are tired of it. If the weather patterns are right it will rage on and on and on and there is nothing we can do to change it. Paul, although he saw the disaster coming he didn't pray against it, he just offered a warning to avoid it. But after the violence and the darkness and the continuous raging of the storm we see that it has its eventual effect on the apostle in the last part of v.20
“...we finally gave up all hope of being saved.” v.20
There comes a point where all hope is lost. A point of total despair, we don't desire to surrender to it, but we must because we lack the strength to endure it. You can throw a man in the ocean there is only so long he can keep his head above water. We reach a point where we are just too weary to fight against it, too weary of the anxiety, weary from the wind, and the waves, and the stress, and the cold. We can become Storm weary to the point of hopelessness. Maybe you have been pounded with waves of trouble and distress this week? You may have just made it over a large wave of financial problems only to see a larger wave of possible bankruptcy? Maybe a wave of adultery following a wave of divorce, maybe a wave of illness, followed by a wave of a tumor, followed by cancer and followed by death in the family and yet another wave is on it way! We cry out to God with tears running down our cheeks “Oh God why me? Oh Lord! There is only so much a man can take!” and that is true . . . .
but the good news is: HE KNOWS THAT
Transition: We've seen how the sailors became storm weary after not following the apostles storm warning, but we see hope in the last part of the chapter when these sailors finally learn to let go and weather the storm.
Sailors let go and Weather the Storm (v. 30-32)
After Paul reminds them that they were all suffering because they didn't listen to his warning in the first place, he makes the best of a terrible situation and twice tells them to not lose hope (“keep up your courage”) because he had been visited by an angel that assured him that not one person was going to be lost. But realizing they are about to crash against the rocks, we read in v.30....
“In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow.” v. 30
Earlier, they threw everything out to save themselves but now they are trying to throw out the lifeboats to escape and let those on board die.
They are pretending to be a help in the salvation of others, but are only interested in saving themselves. Many try to hide their secret securities? They try to do selfish things under the pretense of doing good for others. In the Bible, there is no comfort for anyone who can save themselves. There is comfort the lost son and for the leper and the Samaritan, and even the rich young ruler, but for those who thought they were too good for Jesus there is no hope for them. The Pharisees were like these sailors- they pretended to do good to others and be good for others, because following the the law strictly was good, but they were only interested in being praised for it.
Doing good is a work that can not save you. There are millions of people, Christians included that believe that their lifeboat is good works. Under the pretense of doing good for others out of love – their only interest is to save themselves or to be praised for it. They believe that if all else fails they always can say they did this or they do that. They were baptized, they took communion, or they gave, they helped, they served, they volunteered, or they taught or prayed or studied.
Without doubt, all these are good and should be done with enthusiasm but if they are your lifeboat, if you are putting all of your trust and all of you hope and all of your faith in your works; then you are going to drown. If good works will get you saved, then Christ died for nothing. Nothing you do can save you. If others are so good then let them rely on their goodness to save their souls, while you and I will rely on the blood of Jesus Christ.
Do you think that you have sinned some sin that in the thousands of years that billions of men before you have never sinned? You grieve the Spirit when you believe that. Sin does not conquer love. Love conquers sin!
“Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved,” v. 31
There is only one way for these men to be saved. Paul says if you try to jump to save yourself you can not be saved! Jesus tells us there is only one way to be saved “Jesus answered “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.” Jn.14:6 Instead of trying to drop lifeboats like these sailors, to save yourself, instead of running off to a distant country to escape your father, like the prodigal; why not stay with the ship because outside of Christs hands there is no security. They must have believed Paul and finally trusted him.
So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it fall away.” v. 32
They cut their only connection to what they previously thought was their only salvation. Was it faith or maybe shame for being caught trying to save themselves, that made them cut the ropes? I don't know, but one thing is certain, Its a difficult step to cut the ropes to the false securities that we have on earth, because in the Storm they will not save us, they will not even be a help to us. These sailors cut ties “and let it fall away.”
In the Storm, we must let go and trust God. It is the most counter-intuitive thing to do. Like Peter on the water, it is our nature to misplace our attention on the storm rather than on Christ. But if we focus on him we will see clearer skies and the great hope of salvation will fill our souls again.
Conclusion: We read about a storm in Proverbs 10:25 - “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.” The storm will reveal what you are made of, what you put your faith, hope, and love in. The storm sweeps away the wicked, but the righteous still stands. A storm is a metaphor for severe trials and/or tribulation. Jesus promised us this in John 16:33 - “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” The storm will reveal where we take heart. Do we trust in false securities? In ourselves? Our government? Our money? Our skills? Our strength? Our creativity? Our intelligence? Or do we simply trust in our God? Since the storm comes from the world it makes sense to trust in the one who has overcome the world. A typical inscription on a grave in Paul's day “I was not, I became, I am not, I care not.” There is no Hope without God.
What happens to those who let go and trust the will of God for their lives. We read in the last verse of the chapter that “in this way everyone reached land in safety.” Although the ship was obliterated every man made it to the shore alive and well, they were all saved just as promised. The Savior will bring you through the darkest of dark times and he will give you hope in the most hopeless times and even if you are battered and bruised you will make it alive and well. Thank God! He is our hope in dark times. Amen
