They boarded this ship and set sail. 2:2). "He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. Beyond this, God is free to act or not to act in any way that He chooses. What kind of leadership did Paul exercise, and how did this impact the gospel? {I have been} on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from {my} countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren (2 Corinthians 11:25-26). This is influence and leadership in action. Our world, like that ship of Pauls, was headed for destruction. He was nicknamed "son of encouragement" (Acts 4:36). These prisoners were (pardon me for this) twice pardoned.. Whatever dangers might arise, He will protect His people, in accordance with His purposes and promises. Their safety was relative, however. The stern of the ship began to break up. Unsaved men do not have the answers. Not the Adriatic Sea as we now call the sea between Italy and the mainland of Illyricum, but all the lower Mediterranean between Italy and Greece. Robertson, p. 469. There was some level of favoritism going on. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times. 563 This seems to suggest that the charges against these prisoners were serious. As Paul had already informed them, neither the ship nor its cargo would survive, only the passengers. 1 Peter 5:3. The storm caught the ship in its force, and so they could do nothing but allow the ship to be driven along by it. 36 Just as it is written, For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:12-14). If Paul had been right before, and his words had come to pass, he had even more important words to speak now, not from his own perception or judgment, but from the God whom he served. To reinforce his words, Paul now did what he urged each of them to dohe ate. Priscilla and Aquila were hospitable. He . In fact, it seems that virtually everyone voted against him when the decision was made. When Esthers words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: Do not think that because you are in the kings house you alone of all the Jews will escape. Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. And so Paul was correct, though not speaking at the moment with prophetic inspiration, authority, or inerrancy. They eventually connected with Paul and became his partners in the ministry. 551 Although there almost certainly would have been some loss of life, apart from divine intervention. They were also able to build a church that met in their home. He portrays Paul in many roles throughout Acts, but here he shows him standing out as the practical man in a critical emergency--keeping his head when all about him are losing theirs. If you remember the qualifications of a leader that we looked at earlier, you will see why this is a great example of Godly leadership in the Bible. Pauls caution is rather interesting. It is only when all hope is lost that Paul addresses his fellow shipmates.557 Much time had passed, the storm had not diminished, the ship was being constantly mauled by the storm, and the passengers had gone a long time without food. Paul was kept safe, and as a result, all of those with him were saved as well. Even when John Mark was being severely ostracized by Paul, Barnabas stood by John Mark. What he recognized was the person who had the ability to help bring deliverance to the Jews was Esther. But more than this, God had already assured Paul that he would reach Rome. I would like to have heard that prayer, but Lukes silence here requires us to wait till heaven to find out what was said. And were all in it for the same reasonto fuel the churchs mission of making disciples. He only said that their remaining on ship was necessary if these soldiers wanted to survive. But we can still have hope, even when we are afraid. He would later, on the island, work signs and wonders. Paul had a fair bit of experience with sea travel. The storms of your life may not have been sent your way to destroy you, but to turn you to Gods salvation. 547 Ramsay is of the opinion that the ship was a government vessel of which the centurion, as senior officer, was properly in charge. Elijah had both. This may have been the case, and if so the calculations upon which the shipmaster (not owner as AV and RV, according to Ramsay) based his rash advice are less apparent. E. M. Blaiklock, The Acts of the Apostles (Grand Rapids: Wm. Pastor Appreciation Month and Pastor Appreciation Day are great opportunities every October to show how much you care for your pastor and church leaders. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com. Some call it a tough mind and a tender heart. Nobody said it would be easy. 4 The United States is one. I see leadership held out to men and women as a prize, rather than as a humbling responsibility. What Does It Mean That There Is No One Holy Like God? Pauls faith and his courage were contagious. They hoped that daybreak would come so that they could visually navigate the ship, rather than to attempt to make port (or even to ground the ship) in the dark. Priscilla and Aquila are an example of Godly leadership that was displayed or exhibited in a married couple. One more detail about the future was revealed by Paul: the ship must run aground on a certain, but unnamed, island. The soldiers heed Pauls words and cut the ropes to the lifeboat, letting it fall away. He had God on his side. His God was in control of all things, including the sea. Pay attention to the type of men they chose to handle this problem. Remember this applies whether you are leading one or many. They took down the sail, which would have been ripped to shreds by the winds, and lashed down the rudders, which would have been broken up as they were smashed against the ship by the waves. Paul strongly urged them to stay where they were, at Fair Havens. Pauls circumstances certainly do no give him any status, any clout, with anyone on board that ship. They were not going to get to Rome until after winter was over anyway, and they could stay right where they were, with no real problems. In Acts 20:35, we see him say to the elders of the church in Ephesus, "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more . I see people working for a place a leadership, rather than working to serve others, and letting leadership develop or not on its own. From here on, sailing will not be smooth. Whether by divine revelation, intuition, or by learning of their plans from some human source, Paul became aware of their intentions. It is enough to discourage any pastor. Had they heeded his warnings, this would not have happened. los lderes demcratas (41) dirigentes socialdemcratas (18) lderes democrticos (15) lderes demcratas (13) demcratas (8) If elected in free elections, the usurpers of power are usually democratic leaders. This centurion was to develop a deep respect for Paul, so that he would extend considerable liberties to him, take seriously his advice, and make every effort to protect him. Let me suggest a few characteristics of Pauls leadership in this crisis, which may provide fuel for future thought. The gospel sustains men in the greatest storms of life. But by the end of this chapter, it is Paul who is active, Paul who is leading, and the others are following him. (1) A look at leadership. The angel of God told Paul not to be afraid, which would indicate that he was afraid. 546 With the westerly winds which prevail in those seas, says James Smith, ships, particularly those of the ancients, unprovided with a compass and ill calculated to work to windward, would naturally stand to the north till they made the land of Asia Minor, which is peculiarly favourable for navigation by such vessels, because the coast is bold and safe, and the elevation of the mountains makes it visible at a great distance; it abounds in harbours, and the sinuosities of its shores and the westerly current would enable them, if the wind was at all off the land, to work to windward, at least as far as Cnidus, where these advantages ceased. 545 This seems to be the same Aristarchus mentioned in Acts 19:29; 20:4; Colossians 4:10 and Philemon 24. They took bribes and perverted justice. Three days have already passed, and Luke provides us with the description of some incident for each day. Bob is a pastor/teacher and elder at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas, and has contributed many of his Bible study series for use by the Foundation. If you possess these types of qualifications, would that make you a better leader? 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, {being} more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:3-9). They invited Apollos into their home and spent time explaining the truth to him. These are questions that we shall seek to answer in our study of Acts chapter 27. Paul was as secure as any man could be. He sold his land and gave it to the church treasury. They were not in control of the ship. If Paul had been incompetent and impotent in this time of crisis, who would have wanted to hear him tell about faith in Jesus as the Messiah? It was the crew of the ship who lived dangerously, foolishly risking the ship, the cargo, and the lives of all on board, just to get ahead a little. The following post is adapted from my personal academic coursework. It did not take long at this time of year for a storm to brew at sea. The God who was to rescue them was Pauls God, the God whom he served, and to whom he would bear testimony before Caesar. Airline pilots must constantly monitor weather conditions, and make decisions as to the route they will take, their altitude, and even their destination. It opens to the East and Southeast, but is not fit to winter in. Let us consider just a few: 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Moses is remembered as the liberator, the leader, the law-giver, the prophet, and the intermediary in the covenant between God and the Jewish people. If the relative safety of the passengers was in being on board ship, with Paul, our certain safety is in being in Christ. He has weathered the storm of Gods wrath on the sinner. Paul reminded his shipmates that they should have listened to him sooner. Here are some examples of their leadership. In 1925 Nellie Tayloe Ross became the first woman to serve as a governor in the United States when she was inaugurated in Wyoming. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. Behind every support specialist, Bible study editor, graphic designer, and accountant is a Sunday School teacher, kids volunteer, or small group leader. The soldiers who were guarding them were not as concerned about their survival as much as the possibility of an escape. They had little to gain and much to lose. He had the courage to speak to the evils of his day. God used the centurion, who had come to deeply respect and admire Paul, to spare him, along with the rest. 16:8, 16-20). And also for Pauls sake, all of the prisoners were spared from execution by the soldiers. Why not get better at it? Since leadership happens inside and outside the church, these examples are good wherever you lead. . "Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. Examples of democratic leaders A few specific examples of leaders who have demonstrated this style of leadership include: Former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, demonstrated how much she valued her team members by writing personalized letters to their parents. Their safety was contingent on the presence of Paul and the patience of God. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to {obtain} an inheritance {which is} imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. They were so sure of the wisdom of their decision that they did not even draw up the small boat attached by a rope to the vessels stern (verse 16). Such would have been the case in Sodom and Gomorrah. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. You are the devil's advocate. Whatever God has promised to do, He will do. The centurion did not seem to be concerned with any of the prisoners, except one Paul. It seems that there was no protest from the sailors when the ropes to the lifeboat were cut. The sovereignty of God is the basis for our safety and security, but it is not an excuse for our sloppiness. I could talk about David, Moses, or Nehemiah, but I want to talk about three lesser-known leaders who make great examples of Godly leadership in the Bible. Lets examine some of these, because whether you lead one, a few, or many we all have to lead. It was a coasting vessel, which was to call at various ports of the province of Asia; at one of these Julius knew he would find a ship, preferably a grain ship, bound for Italy. F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), p. 477. The most probable account is that they dropped a floating anchor or drift anchor, which was dragged astern at the end of a rope of suitable length so as to offer the maximum resistance every time the ship plunged down from the crest of a wave. Bruce, p. 486. If their safety was assured then let them do what they could to help themselveslet them eat. CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. Since this was not an ideal place to spend the winter, and sailing conditions looked favorable at the moment, they decided to press on to a more accommodating port. What was it about Paul that made him a leader among men, even in matters pertaining to sailing and storms? With great difficulty, the dinghy was hoisted on board, and then supporting cables were used to undergird the bottom of the ship, so that it might not break up under the weight of its cargo and the stresses of the storm. Doing so would be certain death, for the larger vessel offered more protection, so long as it held together. He has surrounded himself with executives that are experienced and insightful. The question was where the ship would make port for the winter. They could not handle the ship in the stormy waters. He was right in that a great storm had swept down on this ship, and that both the ship and its cargo would be lost. Take aids, or drugs, for example. You may be familiar with the story of Esther. The storm threatens not only the life of Paul, but also the lives of all on board his ship.