Acts #27: What are the indicators for guaranteed projects? (Acts 27); Patrice Berger

sermon Acts 27 : Patrice Berger, 2022_11_30, AB Lausanne church

title : Acts #27: What are the indicators for guaranteed projects? (Acts 27); Patrice Berger

Sermon: Acts #27 Chapter 27-28

What are indicators for guaranteed projects?

We end our journey through the book of Acts by reading the last two chapters.

An essay was written by an eyewitness, Luke.

We note that the writing of these events is the writing of an eyewitness and it is very precise.

We may not all be passionate about navigation in the Mediterranean, but writings like this also help to support the veracity of the Bible, so much the details show the accuracy of the facts.

The Gospel Is Not Subversive

We will also find the same idea that we saw last time, namely that Paul will again refute the idea that the Gospel aims to blaspheme:

the Jewish law,
- the temple
- and stands against the Roman Empire.

This is what he will tell the Jewish leaders in Rome.

Divine Providence

On the other hand, this text is a demonstration of the providence of God, even if many elements are contrary, God is above!

Many pitfalls will stand against Paul:

taken through the sea (a very risky journey),
- the bad decision of the crew,
- violent wind, even a typhoon,
- dislocation of the ship,
- the crew’s plan to escape in a perilous moment,
- prisoners’ execution project of which Paul is a part,
- shipwreck,
- Paul was bitten by a snake.

Despite the difficulties, God maintains and does what He says.

And finally, the book of Acts stops on the fact that Paul is indeed in Rome and bears witness to the Gospel.

We see in our study of Revelation that even though the enemy of God is strong and roars against believers, God is above, God is the surety.

What He has said, He is able to bring to manifestation regardless of the stratagems of humans or the rebellious celestial world.

Didn’t the Lord assure Paul that he would testify of the gospel in Rome?

Acts 23

11The following night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Take courage, [Paul]: just as you have borne witness about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”

What are the indicators for successful navigation?

But what I like in this text and which has often made me reflect and meditate, is that indeed, we are going to find hyper-current aspects:

economic pressure, the cargo (the prisoners) must be delivered as soon as possible;
- The indicators and the forecasts are formal, it’s ok, and this gives the crew the green light.

But what about, in truth, in the face of divine wisdom?

I say no more, let’s read together:

Acts – Chapter 27 (Check the sidebar)

Acts – Chapter 28 (Check the sidebar)

Quiet, we assure you:

All the indicators are looking good,
- the professionals are categorical,
- don’t worry, we’re in control…

Said the man in charge to Paul

Acts 27.13

A light southerly wind began to blow and,

believing themselves masters of their project,

they weighed anchor and closely skirted the island of Crete.

They were most certainly in a hurry to deliver their cargo and, instead of waiting, given what is obvious to them, they were sure to get there.

Just in time:

For years I lived near the Peugeot factories.

Originally, Peugeot and a few local companies made all the parts to make their cars.

Then, increasingly, parts were supplied by outside companies.

And in the end, the factory became a place for assembling parts from all over Europe. And as storing costs money and internal logistics, the parts manufactured in the 4 corners of Europe were

directly charged,
- transported in stride
- and assembled directly.

A perfect, calculated, ideal, controlled logistics flow: many computer simulations had been made.

With a margin of half a day or even a few hours, for trucks crossing Europe, everything has been calculated to make it work!

Except when there are terrible weather conditions and the trucks coming from Spain have been blocked once by snow, another time by the truckers’ strike and what about the yellow vests… And there, for a missing truck, production lines can be stopped! (Well, since then, in its great generosity, Peugeot has imposed on transporters to have buffer storage sheds near the factory, so as not to have any more shortages and not to have any shortages in the stock either).

Beyond unstoppable forecasts, and sharp strategies, the reality can be different.

For the apostle

Beyond the certainties of the sailors who were to escort Paul, there is the reality that God knows, and we, as humans, do not know it.

Saturation of “secure” projects

All of this still occurs and we are constantly asked to act as if we were masters of our destiny as if those who advise us can guarantee our destiny.

– “Invest in such a financial product, and it is guaranteed! (Except when there is a subprime crisis).

– “Investing in Swissair is guaranteed! “.

“Ma’am take some thalidomide!”
“Mr, Pick!”

you will see everything will be fine!!!

But that’s the others…

Our projects where we are masters of our destiny

Don’t we also do the same?

I will do such studies;
My sentimental life will be like that;
I will buy myself such a house, such a car;
I will have 2 children, not 3;
I will take a break from my studies to go around the world;
I want to reach a high position in my career…

Finally what, it is I who is the master of my destiny!

Luke 12

13 Someone in the midst of the crowd said to Jesus:

“Master, tell my brother to share our inheritance with me.”

14 Jesus answered him, “Who appointed me to be your judge or to divide you?”

15 Then he said to them:

“Beware of all lust for possession, for a man’s life does not depend on his possessions, even if he has plenty.”

16 He told them this parable:

“A rich man’s land brought in a lot. 17 He reasoned within himself, saying:

‘What will I do? Indeed, I have no place to bring in my harvest. 18 This is what I will do, he said to himself: I will tear down my granaries, I will build bigger ones, I will store all my crops and all my goods there, 19 and I will say to my soul:

My soul, you have many goods in store for many years; rest, eat, drink and rejoice.’

20 But God said to him:

‘Man devoid of common sense! This very night your soul will be demanded of you, and what you have prepared, for whom will it be?’

21 This is the situation of one who lays up treasures for himself and is not rich for God.”

High demand

Our general conditioning pushes us to be in control of our lives and to plan our lives, which is not a bad thing, but it depends on how we do it…

We have our limits

We are not masters of personal and external circumstances and above all, we are not masters at all: God is! Of course, you have to make plans.

Have an anticipated plan, but…

Do them cautiously, relying on knowledge, forecasts, planning, technology, charts, orders, contracts, acquisitions, and investments.

This is important and it makes sense.

Let’s do it with the intelligence and the ability that God has given us to lead our lives and fulfil the mission He has entrusted to men (Genesis 1.28, 3.15).

But this is not enough and above all, it would make us forget the priority.

Everything changes with wisdom

All of this makes sense only if used wisely: Wisdom, in the biblical sense, is thinking with God, acting on Him, expecting and relying on Him.

Wisdom is neither of “superior intellect” nor of experience:

You can be young and make wise choices, you can be a head of state and make unwise choices!

Divine wisdom gives everyone the ability to live, to look to the future, to orient their life according to God, what He loves, what He advises us and rely on Him.

Proverbs 3.5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding!

Recognize him in all your ways and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 16.3

Commit your activity to the Lord and your plans will be established.

Not in the sense that it pays (as the “gospel” of prosperity would say) but that these are constructive projects over time and above all in the eyes of God, in phase with God.

In today’s text, the apostle Paul told them that it didn’t feel good to leave.

It’s hard to say if it’s

of wisdom Acts 27. 10 (Paul gave this warning: 10 “Friends, I see)
or a revelation as in Acts 27. 21-25 (indication given by an angel),

actually, it doesn’t really matter…

What is important is that we have the humility to recognize that we are not the masters of our projects and destinies and that we must even if we have many tangible things to enlighten us, rely primarily on God, and may He give us His wisdom.

How to do this?

Three main axes:

The Bible

The Bible gives us many indications to be able to execute projects in tune with God’s expectations, there are even entire books of the Bible which are called books of wisdom, such as Job, Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs, whose preamble

Proverbs – Chapter 1

1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel,

2 to know wisdom and instruction, to understand the words of understanding, 3 to receive lessons in common sense, justice, fairness and uprightness, 4 to give discernment to those who lack experience , knowledge and reflection to young people.

5 Let the wise listen, and he will increase his knowledge! He who is intelligent will gain skill 6 to understand proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles.

7 Knowledge begins with the fear of the Lord. You have to be mad to despise wisdom and instruction. 8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction and do not reject your mother’s teaching! 9 For it will be a crown of grace for your head and a necklace for your neck.

Prayer

How to commend one’s fate to the Eternal One?

By prayer, alone or with others.

Sibling exchange

Obviously, sharing projects with brothers and sisters contributes to exposing the projects together, in order to have the insights of brethren (work of the Holy Spirit in their lives), so that they participate in supporting you through prayer.

The Holy Spirit’s Help

And God does not leave us alone, He gives us His Spirit in a permanent way to help us, to guide us, to reflect with Him.

Good reflexes

The only trigger to avoid getting into dead ends is to always refer to God when we have a small or large project.

Is it biblically compatible?

Have you taken it to God in prayer?

If nothing is clear enough, let’s surround ourselves with people who have the same influence in Christ.

Matthew 6. 33

Seek first the kingdom and righteousness of God, and all this will be added to you.

Bible Passages

Acts 27 / ASV Bible

1. And when it was determined that we should sail for Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Augustan band.
2. And embarking in a ship of Adramyttium, which was about to sail unto the places on the coast of Asia, we put to sea, Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us.
3. And the next day we touched at Sidon: and Julius treated Paul kindly, and gave him leave to go unto his friends and refresh himself.
4. And putting to sea from thence, we sailed under the lee of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.
5. And when we had sailed across the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, [a city] of Lycia.
6. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing for Italy; and he put us therein.
7. And when we had sailed slowly many days, and were come with difficulty over against Cnidus, the wind not further suffering us, we sailed under the lee of Crete, over against Salmone;
8. and with difficulty coasting along it we came unto a certain place called Fair Havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.
9. And when much time was spent, and the voyage was now dangerous, because the Fast was now already gone by, Paul admonished them,
10. and said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that the voyage will be with injury and much loss, not only of the lading and the ship, but also of our lives.
11. But the centurion gave more heed to the master and to the owner of the ship, than to those things which were spoken by Paul.
12. And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to put to sea from thence, if by any means they could reach Phoenix, and winter [there; which is] a haven of Crete, looking northeast and south-east.
13. And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their purpose, they weighed anchor and sailed along Crete, close in shore.
14. But after no long time there beat down from it a tempestuous wind, which is called Euraquilo:
15. and when the ship was caught, and could not face the wind, we gave way [to it,] and were driven.
16. And running under the lee of a small island called Cauda, we were able, with difficulty, to secure the boat:
17. and when they had hoisted it up, they used helps, under-girding the ship; and, fearing lest they should be cast upon the Syrtis, they lowered the gear, and so were driven.
18. And as we labored exceedingly with the storm, the next day they began to throw the [the freight] overboard;
19. and the third day they cast out with their own hands the tackling of the ship.
20. And when neither sun nor stars shone upon [us] for many days, and no small tempest lay on [us,] all hope that we should be saved was now taken away.
21. And when they had been long without food, then Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have set sail from Crete, and have gotten this injury and loss.
22. And now I exhort you to be of good cheer; for there shall be no loss of life among you, but [only] of the ship.
23. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God whose I am, whom also I serve,
24. saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must stand before Caesar: and lo, God hath granted thee all them that sail with thee.
25. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even so as it hath been spoken unto me.
26. But we must be cast upon a certain island.
27. But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven to and fro in the [sea of] Adria, about midnight the sailors surmised that they were drawing near to some country:
28. and they sounded, and found twenty fathoms; and after a little space, they sounded again, and found fifteen fathoms.
29. And fearing lest haply we should be cast ashore on rocky ground, they let go four anchors from the stern, and wished for the day.
30. And as the sailors were seeking to flee out of the ship, and had lowered the boat into the sea, under color as though they would lay out anchors from the foreship,
31. Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.
32. Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the boat, and let her fall off.
33. And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take some food, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye wait and continue fasting, having taken nothing.
34. Wherefore I beseech you to take some food: for this is for your safety: for there shall not a hair perish from the head of any of you.
35. And when he had said this, and had taken bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all; and he brake it, and began to eat.
36. Then were they all of good cheer, and themselves also took food.
37. And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.
38. And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.
39. And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they perceived a certain bay with a beach, and they took counsel whether they could drive the ship upon it.
40. And casting off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosing the bands of the rudders; and hoisting up the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach.
41. But lighting upon a place where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the foreship struck and remained unmoveable, but the stern began to break up by the violence [of the waves].
42. And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any [of them] should swim out, and escape.
43. But the centurion, desiring to save Paul, stayed them from their purpose; and commanded that they who could swim should cast themselves overboard, and get first to the land;
44. and the rest, some on planks, and some on [other] things from the ship. And so it came to pass, that they all escaped safe to the land.

Acts 28 / ASV Bible

1. And when we were escaped, then we knew that the island was called Melita.
2. And the barbarians showed us no common kindness; for they kindled a fire, and received us all, because of the present rain, and because of the cold.
3. But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out by reason of the heat, and fastened on his hand.
4. And when the barbarians saw the [venomous] creature hanging from his hand, they said one to another, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped from the sea, yet Justice hath not suffered to live.
5. Howbeit he shook off the creature into the fire, and took no harm.
6. But they expected that he would have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but when they were long in expectation and beheld nothing amiss came to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.
7. Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the chief man of the island, named Publius, who received us, and entertained us three days courteously.
8. And it was so, that the father of Publius lay sick of fever and dysentery: unto whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and laying his hands on him healed him.
9. And when this was done, the rest also that had diseases in the island came, and were cured:
10. who also honored us with many honors; and when we sailed, they put on board such things as we needed.
11. And after three months we set sail in a ship of Alexandria which had wintered in the island, whose sign was The Twin Brothers.
12. And touching at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.
13. And from thence we made a circuit, and arrived at Rhegium: and after one day a south wind sprang up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli;
14. where we found brethren, and were entreated to tarry with them seven days: and so we came to Rome.
15. And from thence the brethren, when they heard of us, came to meet us as far as The Market of Appius and The Three Taverns; whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage.
16. And when we entered into Rome, Paul was suffered to abide by himself with the soldier that guarded him.
17. And it came to pass, that after three days he called together those that were the chief of the Jews: and when they were come together, he said unto them, I, brethren, though I had done nothing against the people, or the customs of our fathers, yet was delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans:
18. who, when they had examined me, desired to set me at liberty, because there was no cause of death in me.
19. But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Caesar; not that I had aught whereof to accuse my nation.
20. For this cause therefore did I entreat you to see and to speak with [me]: for because of the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain.
21. And they said unto him, We neither received letters from Judaea concerning thee, nor did any of the brethren come hither and report or speak any harm of thee.
22. But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this sect, it is known to us that everywhere it is spoken against.
23. And when they had appointed him a day, they came to him into his lodging in great number; to whom he expounded [the matter,] testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning till evening.
24. And some believed the things which were spoken, and some disbelieved.
25. And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Spirit through Isaiah the prophet unto your fathers,
26. saying, Go thou unto this people, and say, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive:
27. For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest, haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.
28. Be it known therefore unto you, that this salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles: they will also hear.
29. [And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, having much disputing among themselves.]
30. And he abode two whole years in his own hired dwelling, and received all that went in unto him,
31. preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness, none forbidding him.