• We left off with Paul before King Agrippa, but he had already appealed to Caesar in order to save his life.
• Map from Jerusalem to Caesarea
• Slides of Herod’s Palace

SAILING FOR ROME
ACTS 27 - 60 AD
1 When it was decided that we were to sail to Italy,

• Luke had not included himself since Acts 21:18
• Paul was facing his Jewish counterparts in Jerusalem
• Luke was Paul’s personal physician

they handed over Paul and some other prisoners to a centurion named Julius, of the Imperial Regiment.

• Unlike “other prisoners”, Paul was not being sent to Rome to die but to go to trial.
• Imagine Paul sharing Jesus with these prisoners before they were to die.

2 When we had boarded a ship of Adramyttium (audra-me-tium), we put to sea, intending to sail to ports along the coast of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us. (Paul’s personal attendant) (Colossians 4:10 – fellow prisoner) 3 The next day we put in at Sidon (see-done) (80 miles in one day), and Julius treated Paul kindly and allowed him to go to his friends to receive their care. 4 When we had put out to sea from there, we sailed along the northern coast of Cyprus because the winds were against us. 5 After sailing through the open sea off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we reached Myra in Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy and put us on board.

• Julius abandoned the slower coastal ship and put Paul and the others on board this large grain ship from Egypt that carried 276 passengers (Acts 27:37–38).
• Rome depended on Egypt for much of its grain supply, and the Roman government gave special consideration to those who ran these ships.[1]

7 Sailing slowly for many days, with difficulty we arrived off Cnidus (ny-dus) (130 miles). Since the wind did not allow us to approach it, we sailed along the south side of Crete off Salmone (sal mo-nee). 8 With still more difficulty we sailed along the coast and came to a place called Fair Havens near the city of Lasea.

• Map from Caesarea to Fair Havens

 
PAUL’S ADVICE IGNORED
9 By now much time had passed, and the voyage was already dangerous. Since the Day of Atonement, was already over, Paul gave his advice 10 and told them, “Men, I can see that this voyage is headed toward disaster and heavy loss, not only of the cargo and the ship but also of our lives.”

• The Day of Atonement, which fell in September/October; and every sailor knew that sailing was difficult from mid-September to mid-November, and impossible from mid-November to February.[2]
• God had given wisdom and direction to Paul.
• 2 Corinthians 11:25 – Paul had already experienced 3 shipwrecks.
• But he was viewed as a back-seat driver.
• So naturally they chose to go against God’s will.

11 But the centurion paid attention to the captain and the owner of the ship rather than to what Paul said. 12 Since the harbor was unsuitable to winter in, the majority decided to set sail from there, hoping somehow to reach Phoenix, a harbor on Crete facing the southwest and northwest, and to winter there.

• What were the factors that governed Julius’ decision?
• To begin with, Fair Havens was not a comfortable place to settle down because it was too open to the winter storms.
• Phoenix had a more sheltered harbor.
• Julius also listened to the “expert advice” of the pilot and captain (“master and owner”) of the ship.
• They advised that the ship head for Phoenix as fast as possible.
• Surely they could cover forty miles safely, and already they had lost too much time.
• When Julius added up the votes, it was three to one that the ship set sail.
• After all, the majority cannot be wrong, especially when it includes the experts![3]

 
STORM-TOSSED SHIP
13 When a gentle south wind sprang up, they thought they had achieved their purpose.

• Julius and the captain probably smiled at Paul.

They weighed anchor and sailed along the shore of Crete. 14 But before long, a fierce wind called the “northeaster” rushed down from the island.

• The actual Greek word translates to “typhoon”.

15 Since the ship was caught and unable to head into the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.

• Drifted, because they couldn’t steer, 23 miles to the south.

16 After running under the shelter of a little island called Cauda, we were barely able to get control of the skiff (the little boat was towed behind the bigger ship).

• Map of Fair Havens to Malta

17 After hoisting it up, they used ropes and tackle and girded the ship.

• Literally, wrapped the ship in chains and ropes to keep it from falling apart.

Fearing they would run aground on the Syrtis,

• Body of water that was full of sand bars.

they lowered the drift-anchor, and in this way they were driven along. 18 Because we were being severely battered by the storm, they began to jettison the cargo the next day. 19 On the third day, they threw the ship’s tackle overboard with their own hands. 20 For many days neither sun nor stars appeared, and the severe storm kept raging.

• They would typically sail based upon the sun, moon and stars.
• They had no direction.

Finally, all hope was fading that we would be saved.
21 Since they had been without food for a long time, Paul then stood up among them and said, “You men should have followed my advice not to sail from Crete and sustain this damage and loss. 22 Now I urge you to take courage, because there will be no loss of any of your lives, but only of the ship. 23 For last night an angel of the God I belong to and serve stood by me 24 and said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul. It is necessary for you to appear before Caesar. And indeed, God has graciously given you all those who are sailing with you.’ 25 So take courage, men, because I believe God that it will be just the way it was told to me. 26 But we have to run aground on some island.”

• A crisis does not make a person.
• A crisis shows what a person is made of, and it tends to bring true leadership to the fore.
• Paul gently rebuked the centurion, pilot, and captain for ignoring his warning.
• Soon they would discover that God had spared all of them only because of Paul.[4]
• V. 22-26 – Paul shared God’s Word with them

27 When the fourteenth night came, we were drifting in the Adriatic Sea, and about midnight the sailors thought they were approaching land.

• During the two weeks they had been at sea, the ship had been driven over 500 miles off course and was now adrift in the Adrian Sea.
• (It is now called the Ionian Sea and must not be confused with the Adriatic Sea.) As[5]

28 They took soundings and found it to be a hundred twenty feet deep; when they had sailed a little farther and sounded again, they found it to be ninety feet deep. 29 Then, fearing we might run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern and prayed for daylight to come. 30 Some sailors tried to escape from the ship; they had let down the skiff into the sea, pretending that they were going to put out anchors from the bow. 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.” 32 Then the soldiers cut the ropes holding the skiff and let it drop away.

• V. 27-32 – Paul warned them

33 When it was about daylight, Paul urged them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have been waiting and going without food, having eaten nothing. 34 So I urge you to take some food. For this is for your survival, since none of you will lose a hair from your head.” 35 After he said these things and had taken some bread, he gave thanks to God in the presence of all of them, and after he broke it, he began to eat. 36 They all were encouraged and took food themselves. 37 In all there were 276 of us on the ship. 38 When they had eaten enough, they began to lighten the ship by throwing the grain overboard into the sea.

• V33-38 – Paul set a good example for them.
• Caring for one’s health is an important part of the Christian life, and even an apostle must not abuse his body.
• There are times when one dedicated believer can change the whole atmosphere of a situation simply by trusting God and making that faith visible.[6]

 
SHIPWRECK
39 When daylight came, they did not recognize the land but sighted a bay with a beach. They planned to run the ship ashore if they could. 40 After cutting loose the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same time loosening the ropes that held the rudders. Then they hoisted the foresail to the wind and headed for the beach. 41 But they struck a sandbar and ran the ship aground. The bow jammed fast and remained immovable, while the stern began to break up by the pounding of the waves.
42 The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners so that no one could swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion kept them from carrying out their plan because he wanted to save Paul, and so he ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. 44 The rest were to follow, some on planks and some on debris from the ship. In this way, everyone safely reached the shore. [7]

• V. 39-44 – Paul rescued them
• First of all, storms often come when we disobey the will of God. (Jonah is a good example of this truth.)
• However, it was not Paul who was at fault, but the centurion in charge of the ship.
• We sometimes suffer because of the unbelief of others.
• Second, storms have a way of revealing character.
• Some of the sailors selfishly tried to escape, others could only hope for the best; but Paul trusted God and obeyed His will.
• Third, even the worst storms cannot hide the face of God or hinder the purposes of God.
• Paul received the word of assurance that they needed, and God overruled so that His servant arrived safely in Rome.
• Finally, storms can give us opportunities to serve others and bear witness to Jesus Christ.
• Paul was the most valuable man on that ship!

He knew how to pray, he had faith in God, and he was in touch with the Almighty.[8]

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 508). Victor Books.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 508). Victor Books.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 508). Victor Books.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 509). Victor Books.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 509). Victor Books.
[6] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 509). Victor Books.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Ac 27:1–44). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 510). Victor Books.

THE DEATH OF JESUS
Matthew 27:45 – 28:10
45 From noon until three in the afternoon, darkness came over the whole land., 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemá sabachtháni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling for Elijah.”
48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and offered him a drink. 49 But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
50 But Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 51 Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 And they came out of the tombs after his resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many.
54 When the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
55 Many women who had followed Jesus from Galilee and looked after him were there, watching from a distance. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
 
THE BURIAL OF JESUS
57 When it was evening, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body. Then Pilate ordered that it be released. 59 So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean, fine linen, 60 and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut into the rock. He left after rolling a great stone against the entrance of the tomb. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were seated there, facing the tomb.
 
THE CLOSELY GUARDED TOMB
62 The next day, which followed the preparation day, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate 63 and said, “Sir, we remember that while this deceiver was still alive he said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give orders that the tomb be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come, steal him, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”
65 “You have a guard of soldiers,” Pilate told them. “Go and make it as secure as you know how.” 66 They went and secured the tomb by setting a seal on the stone and placing the guards.
 
RESURRECTION MORNING
Matthew 28
1 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men.
5 The angel told the women, “Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.’ Listen, I have told you.”
8 So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples the news. 9 Just then Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” They came up, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus told them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”[1]
 
Video – Israel ‘22
 

• One of my favorite times of the year is spring.
• I love that feeling of the stirrings of new life that arises when first the tiniest spring flowers like snowdrops or aconites fight their way through the winter frosts, to be followed by crocuses, daffodils and apple blossom.
• There is something in the human psyche that responds to new life.
• In some ways, the resurrection of Jesus chimes in with this response to new life.
• Just as spring flowers intimate that winter is passing and summer is round the corner, so also Jesus’ resurrection points us to the fact that the old order is passing and new creation is just about to happen.
• The major difference between their rising to new life and Jesus’ rising is that their new life is cyclical, interwoven with death, whereas Jesus’ is not. Jesus rose to new life and will never die again.
• The difference between what happened to Jesus and what happened to Lazarus is vast because just like the spring flowers Lazarus died again, and awaits another resurrection.
• Jesus did not die again, nor ever will; Jesus rose not to the same life—as Lazarus did—but to a different life in which death no longer features.
• Technically, what happened to Lazarus was not resurrection (rising to a new eternal life) but revivification (rising to a renewed old life).
• Jesus’ resurrection is more than just that he was dead and now is alive, since this could be said of Lazarus and many others who were miraculously raised in the Bible.
• What is ‘more’ about Jesus’ resurrection is that he will never die again.
• Jesus had risen from the dead but no one else had; Jesus had risen from the dead but the world was, apparently, no different from the way it had been before: the Romans still occupied Palestine, the poor were still poor, Israel still down-trodden.[2]

 

• There are 3 groups of people at Pinheads today:
  1) Those who are just curious about what is happening here… on an Easter Sunday Morning.
  2) Those who don’t believe in resurrection.
  3) Those who do believe in resurrection.
• Have you ever given thought to the idea that what separates you from the rest of the world is your belief in the idea of resurrection?
• We have almost worked our way through the history of the New Testament Church in the Bible.
• Paul is imprisoned and being sent to Rome, for what reason?
• Simply because he believes in the resurrection of Jesus and is telling people about this great news.

 

• Belief in the resurrection is an act of rebellion against the evil, corruption and oppression that can so easily swamp us.
• Believing in the resurrection can be a refusal to accept that the world is as it is, that it can never change and that we must accept it simply as it is.
• Believing in the resurrection can and should transform not only how we view the world, but how we live in it.
• We naturally become people in whom others can see new life, and people who introduce that new life wherever the world is stifling and life-denying.
• Resurrection makes a difference not only to Jesus and the earliest disciples but also to us, as we live out our lives day by day.[3]

 

• Jesus’ resurrection points us to a new way of looking at the world, a new way of being that changes who we are and how we live in the world.
• The only way to escape from our identity in Adam was by dying.
• When Jesus died, he made a way of escaping from identity in Adam, and by rising again he opened up a new identity, a Christ identity shaped, not by Adam and who he was, but by Christ and who he was.
• Our baptism marks that pattern of dying and rising with Christ which allows us a new corporate identity now infected, not with Adam’s imperfections, but with Christ’s perfections.
• You have to believe in resurrection because you have been resurrected!
• Galatians 2:20-21 - I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.[4]
• We talk about identity in Christ every week here at Pinheads. Why is that so important?
• Everything about who we are, what we think and what we do is now infected with Christ and, as a result, our lives should be entirely transformed.[5]
• But at the same time, there is an evil in this world that wants to tell us a different story/narrative.
• And for some reason, no matter how many times you keep hearing that we are new creation, we keep coming back to the idea that is a great message but I just don’t “feel” it right now.
• That is because it is not a “feeling”.
• You being a new creation, is a reality based upon Truth.
• I will spend the rest of my days reminding you about the Truth of you who you really are.

 

• Resurrection is not complete, however, without the ascension and Pentecost.
• The death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus and the sending of the Holy Spirit all come together as a seamless whole.
• The resurrection offers us transformation in Christ, the ascension gives us the motivation to act and Pentecost the ability to do it.
• The reason why the ascension was vital was that if the risen Christ had not ascended into heaven and was still on earth proclaiming the good news, healing the sick and befriending the poor and oppressed, then most of us would leave this work to him.
• We would become passive recipients of his ministry rather than active proclaimers of his message.
• After the resurrection, once they had grasped what had happened to Jesus, the disciples were in danger of slipping back into their previous form of existence.
• What they most needed was a vacuum, and this is what the ascension provided, a space that could only be filled if they picked up the challenge and took it on.
• The sending of the Spirit gave them the ability to do what otherwise they were incapable of doing.
• Filled with the Spirit they were able to comprehend the significance of the resurrection and to understand that Jesus’ ascension and command to proclaim the gospel sent them out into the world but, most important of all, the Spirit gave them the ability to do as Jesus commanded.
• Beyond their human limitations, fears and anxieties, the Spirit-filled disciples were at last able to do all that Jesus asked.

 

• Some people understand ‘living the resurrection’ to mean that we should be constantly (and, in my view, irritatingly) cheerful, whatever the ups and downs of life.
• This is far from the experience of the New Testament writers, who spoke often of real sufferings as a result of their life in Christ.
• What it really means is that we enter the hard times with our feet firmly planted on the rock, our souls anchored in the hope that Christ brings.
• This does not mean a lack of suffering or even that we do not feel suffering as much as others.
• To believe in resurrection is to believe that death is not all powerful, that beyond despair there is hope or, as Paul puts it…[6]
• Romans 8:37-39 - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.[7]

[1] Christian Standard Bible (Mt 27:45–28:10). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Gooder, P. (2015). This Risen Existence: The Spirit of Easter (p. 5). Fortress Press.
[3] Gooder, P. (2015). This Risen Existence: The Spirit of Easter (p. 7). Fortress Press.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Ga 2:20–21). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Gooder, P. (2015). This Risen Existence: The Spirit of Easter (p. 14). Fortress Press.
[6] Gooder, P. (2015). This Risen Existence: The Spirit of Easter (p. 17). Fortress Press.
[7] Christian Standard Bible (Ro 8:37–39). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

Living hopefully and confidently in an uncertain time.
 
On March 22, 1984 Sam was a confident freshman and I was a smug grad student.  I gave him the favored team and 3 points for the pizza.  It was about the time I finished the last piece when I told him the game was tape delayed and I knew the score before the game started on local TV!

When you know stuff, like the outcome, confidence increases.

We live in an insecure, uncertain society which creates more insecurities and uncertainties.

The essence of my perception of the first 3 chapters of Joshua are summarized. 
 
Joshua would not have occurred without the life of and message of Moses.  His message would have been unnecessary without the life and message of Adam.  Adam’s message is, HE didn’t trust God, his faithlessness left all humanity with a flawed spiritual DNA called sin. 
 
It is not an action, but a thing.  The original design of life stopped at that moment!  Adam and Eve learned fear as did the animals and creation because of Adam!

Jesus died so we can have the thing extracted from our being!

Those 2 college students were confident in their roles and the limited range of our responsibilities as students.  But just a few months later real life would intervene, and they would each have to choose how to respond!

Foundational Ideas for Confidence

• There is one God.
• He expressed Himself in humanity as Jesus, 2000 years ago.
• He was assassinated by the political and religious powers of the day in the presence of many witnesses.
• He arose from the dead, lived a few days on earth & ascended to heaven in the presence of many witnesses.
• He came back to live His life through those who believe Him to be God, 50 days later.
• If you believe what I just said, you have eternal life and are invaluable to the God I just described.
• The smaller your god is, the more challenging the mental game of life will become for you.
• The larger your God becomes the more powerfully He will express Himself to you in Life.
  
  

This is my prayer for you – I pray the eyes of your being may be enlightened so you will know the hope of His calling, and the riches of the glory of His inheritance, which is YOU!

Joshua 1

• God GIVES (verses 2, 3, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15)
• He promises 1) I’m giving you, 2) No one stands in your way, 3) I will not fail or forsake you
• Be strong and courageous (verses 6, 7, 9)
  
  Joshua 2
• God’s enemies hearts melt (verses 9, 11, 24)
  
  Joshua 3
• Follow the Ark (God) (verses 3, 6, 11, 19)
• Be still, stand firm, Rest! (verses 8, 13, 14)

 
The followers of Jesus in the old covenant didn’t have the living presence of God in their spirits.  They had to borrow courage from the living God as the circumstances of life were presented.
 
The new covenant believers received the Spirit of God united with their spirits making them courageous beings.  Courage was a result of their being and not an act from their flesh.
 
Consider the idea of trusting God.  When His Spirit encourages you to do something which seems risky to the world, if you follow His lead, is it courageous?  If you trust His promises, is it risky or courageous?  These actions in a new covenant believer are simply the process of yielding to His Spirit’s directing.
 
When the old covenant believers in Joshua 1-3 recognized the promises God had offered, their simple response of obedience was all the courage necessary.  The courage to believe God was good for His word. 

If you know He gives to His loved ones.  If you know He cannot lie and His promises are trustworthy.  If you know He fights on your behalf, then life becomes a more confident journey.
 
A challenge is to know His promises.  It is to establish a deeper friendship with Him and know what He has already given or promised you!
 
A couple of absolutes that are foundations upon which I begin each day are:
 
1 John 5:11-13  -- I know I have eternal life
Ephesians 1:18  -- I know He values me greatly, like an inheritance.